Never Be the Same
by BluBooThalassophile
Summary: The workings of fate are mysterious and all knowing. However some have more important destinies to fulfill than others. And in order to save her lord from Magatsuhi's death curse Rin will have to challenge the fates and destiny. But who knew it was all predestined for her to leap down the Bone Eater's Well to save all of their destinies? How far back will Rin go to save Sesshomaru?
1. PART I: JUST ONE YESTERDAY

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Part I **

* * *

**Just One Yesterday…**

'Is love fated?' I had asked once. For that she only smiled and sat beside me.

Love is something which the fates try to orchestrate but only those who pursue ever find the love the fates offer them. Few ever truly understand the pursuit needed to obtain that which they desire most. Humans, yōkai and hanyō alike all look for this, they all desire to feel the love and acceptance of another being and even if they are individuals who claim to need no love or affection they lie. Everyone needs acceptance and love.

Even she needed love, even he needed love. They needed it more than my aunt and uncle, they needed it more than my grandfather, they needed it more than most need the air they breathe, the water they drink or the food they consume. And though most do not understand this deep need, the never ending craving they had of one another it was really simple.

She was a part of him, and he, a part of her. Together they were complete, apart they were independent but incomplete. I often wonder if there is a simple way to explain love, but alas there is none because love is not simple. Love is trial and error, obstacles and patience, working together and working alone. Love means never giving up, always working and living without and with one another.

The pain of love can be over power one but it can also empower them to do the impossible.

My father and mother were empowered with love, I've witnessed it and we're proof. There is nothing they wouldn't do for one another. It was their love which empowered the impossible. And it was because of this love, that one yesterday they were the ones who overcome the impossible. Perhaps it's that fated love which changed them, perhaps it was their affections which created everything they lived through, or perhaps it's that love which could keep their fates forever entwined.

* * *

_**AN: The Prologue 'Just One Yesterday' is HAPPENING During the Manga/Anime All these Events Happen in the manga or the anime!**_


	2. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 1

**Part 1: Just One Yesterday…**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Beginning:** _Start; The point in time or space at which something starts, comes into existence, or is first encountered…_

* * *

**Prologue 1**

Sesshomaru lay there in the moonlight with the two headed dragon she had given him as a gift once so long ago, silently wondering how long it had been since he had last seen her.

A long time, he could barely remember her face.

But her eyes, they pierced his mind, his soul, his being, his heart and him, he could never forget those fearless, loving eyes. His gaze slid down to where his brother and the miko were meeting at the well, _his_ well, _**his**_ waiting spot. Disgusted with this midnight rendezvous he leapt through the trees chasing the moon.

Where was she!?

* * *

The news of Inuyasha being pinned to a tree by that miko had not come as a shock to him. His idiotic brother had clearly taken after their father in many ways so of course he'd fall for the one human he shouldn't. Sesshomaru was not surprised, just disappointed, he had so looked forward to defeating the brat once and for all.

But at least now he could wait here in peace.

* * *

Where the hell was she!? She should be with him now, Sesshomaru ignored Jaken who was hissing at him to leave. He did not particularly care for the kappa but it appeared the kappa could provide him some entertainment while he waited for her return to him. It was strange, he had no interest in his pack or his responsiblities though he'd handle them when he had to but he was most fascinated with this…feeling. Something good was coming, it was as if she were back in his life with him again.

Great Kami did he miss her!

* * *

He hated those cats!

He loathed, he despised, he plotted their demise if they should ever come on his territory again. He had hated them the first time when he had been a pup and he hated them even more as he threw the she-cat yōkai named Tōran off of himself. Rolling to his feet he didn't bother with a growl as she hissed and lunged at him. Her icy powers were irritating him as he unleashed his light whip.

He could not let these cats take over his territory.

_**He could not lose the well!**_

* * *

Fury boiled through him as he stared at the strange girl who emerged from the well. That was not his! She wasn't his and there was no way anyone could convince him differently! Her eyes were all wrong! Her eyes were too scared, too timid, too plain, and too fucking blue to be _her_ eyes. A growl erupted from him as he stood in his tree ignoring the humans who were hurrying to the commotion.

The girl was not his, he knew this as he watched her wander to his idiot brother.

The fury and pain he felt knew no bounds as he enveloped himself with light and flew through the forest. He did not care about _**THAT**_ girl, she could perish for all he cared because she was not the right girl. The wrong girl had come through the well, and worse she had come for Inuyasha. The pain coursing through him would not stop. Now he wanted to destroy Inuyasha, he'd need the Tetsusaiga for that job.

Damn Inuyasha for everything!

It was all his fucking fault anyway so he'd get the brunt of Sesshomaru's fury. Sesshomaru stopped himself as he stared down at the river and at himself. She wouldn't want him to hate, but it couldn't be helped. She wasn't here to love him so how the fuck was he supposed to act!

All he knew was that she was not dead, she was never dead, if anything she was always there in the back of his mind like a ghost of a thought or a whisper of a memory. Internally he sighed, he missed her. Perhaps gaining Tetsusaiga would bring her back to him, the Tenseiga wasn't working so why not try to take the Tetsusaiga?

* * *

Finding the Tetsusaiga had proven difficult, his father had truly made the task difficult but he had succeeded in finding the blasted thing. Now all he needed to do was get it and kill Inuyasha and the wrong girl so he could continue his wait for the right girl. The fury boiling in him at the sight of the wrong girl knew no bounds.

She was not his!

And she dared to come through the well and for his fucking brother no less! She pulled the fang from its little pedestal and now was his chance to strike her down! The wench had pulled the sword out for him now he just needed to kill her and take it!

Poison dripped from his claws as he killed her, no human could've survived that! The bitch had died a death fitting for having taken what was his, now it was his brother's turn.

Turning he attacked his brother who appeared to mourn the human girl, not that he cared, his brother had no right to grieve! He had no right to speak of pain or of loss because he had not been waiting for a fucking eternity for the possibility to get what was his back. The anger in Sesshomaru lost it's bounds as he transformed when the girl emerged unscathed from where he had killed her. How the hell had she survived!

Sesshomaru didn't care how she had survived! He wanted her dead! Then he'd kill his brother! Roaring in anger he launched himself at them as they clambered out of InuTaisho's grave. There would be no escaping him, there'd be no mercy from him because that girl was the wrong one and she had had no right to come out of the well he had been waiting at for an eternity!

To his frustration his brother was a better protector than he had anticipated. The pain from losing his left arm was so intense he had to retreat from the fight or face death and if he died then no one could save her.

* * *

Sesshomaru sat under the tree thinking of her again when those pitiful humans surrounded him. The light sound of the flute reached his ears, she had been fond of the flute not that she could play it. He remembered that clearly.

"Jaken, move," Sesshomaru ordered as his eyes snapped open at the sight of the humans surrounding him with their pitiful weapons loaded and aimed for him. The flute's music was beautiful and sad, she'd have liked it and he hoped she'd continue to play the instrument.

"_**FIRE!**_" the human leader shouted.

He would not die before he saved her.

With his right arm he slashed through the air as iron balls from the human weapons were thrown at him. Light emerged from his fingertips to slice through all the threats. He was injured not crippled! He would not be his father and die at the hands of pitiful humans! The fury coursing through him then had his attack destroying all that threatened him. When the attack was over he lifted his head to the wind.

The flute was gone now.

What a shame, he had been enjoying it. Turning he walked away leaving only the pitiful human leader alive. He did not much care about what humans did to themselves but he wished the flute player would play again. It was such a lovely tune.

She'd have liked it.

* * *

Sesshomaru had never trusted that spider, he hated the spider but he hated the blue eyed bitch and his brother more because they had taken what was his. Apparently no one else but his idiot brother and that weird miko could travel through his well. And in his pain and fury he had unwisely trusted Naraku, taking that human arm to steal Tetsusaiga to kill Inuyasha and that bitch.

Now here he was without Tetsusaiga and a burning arm. He wrenched the dead arm off his own and threw the jewel to the Saimyōshō. Fuck this!

All he wanted was for the right girl to come through that well. The girl with bright eyes, a smile which stole his frozen, dead heart, and a scent even he could not resist but had difficulty following.

Closing his eyes he remembered the girl's bright brown eyes.

All he wanted…

Was her.

* * *

Sesshomaru was tired, he was tired of waiting for her, he was tired of waiting, he was tired of Inuyasha and that miko, he was tired of Tōtōsai's cryptic reasons for not helping him or forging a weapon he could use to destroy those pests. But mostly he was tired of feeling alone.

Now he lay underneath a different tree healing yet again and alone. Perhaps this time he could be lucky and die, she wasn't here for him so why live? What the hell was there for him to live for?

Something in him stirred then.

There was a rustle.

He couldn't die, not like this. She was counting on him. He couldn't just leave her to die alone.

There was another rustle.

A faintly familiar yet different translucent scent wafted through the air into his nose. It was the scent that made him think of her, her scent always made him think of the river or a good rain storm.

There was yet another rustle before he launched himself up into sitting position snarling fiercely.

His eyes were read, his marks jagged, his fangs elongated and his temper running hot.

There was a gasp, he continued his growling at the intruder.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	3. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 2

**Just One Yesterday...  
**

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**_

* * *

**Beginning:**_ Start; The point in time or space at which something starts, comes into existence, or is first encountered…_

* * *

**Prologue 2**

She squealed as her big brother landed on top of her tickling her. The laughter was nonstop and joyous for it was a perfect day! Her father held her mother and her big brothers played with her. It was a peaceful day not filled with much to do because father had harvested yesterday and taken their crops to the village for a profit. So they were celebrating their successful harvest with laughter and joy and some play today.

Tomorrow they'd work again but for now she screamed in laughter as her big brother scooped her up and swung her around. Laughter never ended that day and honestly it was her best memory of her family.

* * *

That night had really brought an end to her laughter, an end to her joy and now here she was the pariah of the village and a mute. The small, half-starved seven year old girl who was treated worse than any stray dog, and don't think she didn't notice it. Rin just silently endured it because come hell or high water she'd never trust another human again!

No one could ever make her trust a human! There was no possible way!

She'd sooner be devoured by a yōkai than trust a human and because of this she was foraging for food. It wasn't as if she were some helpless, hopeless, or useless girl who'd perish just because no one was looking after her. The forest took care of her and her mother's teachings of the forest provided for her.

She was not some helpless village girl who'd starve to death!

She was a farmers' daughter and she'd survive. And she'd do it without those meddlesome humans 'help'. Humans were not help! They were cruel, they were mean, and they were selfish. Not once did they come to help her mother, father or brothers when those bandits were torturing nd slaughtering her family. They didn't help her now, they'd just give her a good beating and send her on her way for being mute.

No she did not need humans and she did not need their help!

* * *

The eight year old shoved her way through the bushes. She wasn't concerned about being quiet at the moment, she was on the trail of some possible dinner. Not that she was wary or cautious about being alone in the forest at dusk but here she wasn't scared. This was the only place in her world; her very small world; which wasn't scary. This was her sanctuary and currently the forest was her only friend.

Unlike the other village children yōkai were not something which scared her. The forest at night also did not scare her. Being alone did not scare her. And being lose was freeing to her! She did not like her home, she did not like her village, she did not like the villagers who claimed to have taken her in out of the kindness of their hearts.

But she couldn't leave the village, she had no where else to go.

Biting her lip she bent down to look through the bushes for her dinner again. The branches lashed at her face but she was numb to the pain now, it was nothing in comparison to the beating she had taken that morning for having kicked a stone down the path way.

Rin wished her mother and father were here, she missed her brothers. She missed laughing and being loved and teasing. She missed having a home.

There was a heart stopping, blood chilling, and earth shattering growl when she came around the bush. She gasped out of shock thinking she had infuriated a wolf or fox only to look into a set of blood red eyes glaring at her with the utmost intensity.

Hatred, she saw it plain as day in those red eyes, even her child's mind knew hatred when she saw it for she saw it in her own eyes. Gulping defiantly she approached the wild silver man, he wasn't human so she saw no reason to fear him. Her motions were slow as her brother's instructions rang through her head, be cautious, don't be threatening and be quiet and patient when dealing with an injured wild animal.

He growled again stopping her in her tracks.

Rin just sighed as she stopped her movements to stare at him, he was pretty! So very pretty, he had long silver hair, long fangs which made her think of a wolf or dog, red eyes, two jagged megenta slashes on his cheeks and a crescent moon in the center of his forehead; it was partially hidden by his silver bangs. She just stared at him for a long while then sat where she was so he'd relax; perhaps if she was still he'd let her come near him to pet that fur wrapped around him. It looked so fluffy and soft.

His red eyes watched her curiously but changed color, ruby red to brilliant gold. The eyes of her dream friend! His marks smoothed out as he relaxed and he leaned against the tree again.

* * *

It was predawn when she slipped into the reserve of fish. The silver man must be hungry, and he was injured and in pain. It was important for the injured to get food and since he didn't seem inclined to move she'd get it for him! Catching what she sought with skilled, clumsy but practiced fingers she hurried out of the village again before she was caught to be beaten again. She didn't think she could take another beating like the last one.

Her stomach growled and she eyed the fish.

Shaking her head she hurried into the forest with the fish in her hands. She'd give it to the silver man and he'd either eat it or he wouldn't but the fish was his. Though it had been so long since she had last eaten a fish…

* * *

Over the next few days she and the silver man had fallen into a routine of sorts:

She'd bring him the stolen fish.

He'd ignore her or tell her he didn't eat human food.

She'd leave him and watch from afar.

And it'd start all over the next day. It made her so ridiculously happy to be helping her dream friend, it felt as if she had been waiting for him for years and now he was here. Strange as it seemed it truly felt as if she knew him though he hadn't spoken to her but rather at her.

Since she was really little she had always dreamt of a silver man with golden eyes, her mother had suggested that perhaps she'd marry the silver man from her dreams. Rin always thought that was ridiculous but she felt as if the silver man were important to her. She loved him, ridiculously so, and her brothers had teased her about her mysterious silver man when they had found out about her dreams. Not that she minded, she'd just laugh with them and play with them or punch one of them.

But now her mysterious dream friend was here!

His merely being here made her so happy but he only glared and frowned and was clearly not happy. Not that she minded as she hurried back to her 'hut' in the village because the rain was coming. Her silver friend had shelter, she did not and she would not intrude on him as she hurried through the forest.

She'd come back tomorrow after the rain!

* * *

The beating she had taken for trying to feed her silver friend after that rain had really hurt. In particular it hurt to breathe; it felt as if her chest were collapsing it hurt so much! It hurt to breathe! Rin wanted to cry but her eye was swollen shut and her lip was split from the punch she had received. Still she stumbled up to her silver friend with a handful of food, perhaps he'd take her away from this nightmare if she were kind to him.

No, she'd be kind to him because he seemed so lost and lonely. She didn't pity him but she wished to take his loneliness away from him.

"You needn't bother, I do not eat human food," he informed her in his cold voice. Her world shattered then. She could've cried then but she didn't as she hurried his side, bowed and shoved the leaf of grains she had gathered for him at him.

Silence.

She sighed as she sat back then, perhaps she could not help him. Perhaps there was no way to take away that sad, lonely look in his beautiful eyes. Who knew love could be painful? Always giving her love to a silver man who wouldn't return her feelings in the slightest, he didn't even care about the trouble she went through to get this food for him. She just sighed again as she stared at the grains in her lap.

"Where did you get those bruises?" his voice was cold but it stopped her in her thoughts.

"I don't care, I'm just curious," he insisted and then she smiled. He cared!

"What!? I just asked a question, I don't care," he informed her coldly but she just couldn't quit her smiling as she sat there with the food forgotten on her lap. His amber eyes were assessing her coldly, but she sensed it.

Something familiar, something old, and something more than curiosity.

* * *

_**Run!**_

Her mind screamed at her to run to him, not to stop as her little legs carried her as quickly as she could go. They'd eat her! They'd destroy her! She didn't want to die! Not yet! Not now! The silver man would save her! He had to save her! He must save her! Oh please! Her mind pleaded as tears streamed down her face while she ran on the well-traveled path to him.

Her foot caught, she gasped as she hit the cold earth. She tried to get up but she looked over her shoulder and searing pain ripping through her as she saw teeth and blood.

Her blood!

No one would care if she died.

Her world faded away.

* * *

**Who knew running errands could be such a pain!? Seriously!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	4. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 3

**Just One Yesterday...  
**

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**_

* * *

**Beginning:** _Start; The point in time or space at which something starts, comes into existence, or is first encountered…_

* * *

**Prologue 3**

Sesshomaru stared at her corpse.

It couldn't be…!

But it was.

It had been the sweet scent of her blood which had triggered everything in his memory for as far back as he could remember. But he hadn't seen the resemblance, he had noticed the similarities but he hadn't noticed it was _**her**_, it was there in those dead lifeless brown eyes he stared at her then. It was _**her!**_ But how? She had never been a child, never, not in all his memories but here she was. Was this where she had always been?

He didn't know, but he couldn't breathe as he stared at her dead little body.

She had never been small, granted she was always small but never had she been this small in his memories. But now he just stared at her, he could've saved her! If he had reacted to the tug he had felt for being near her then he could've saved her! His heart pounded painfully in his chest.

She had died a second time and this time he could've saved her!

Tenseiga pulsed at his side then.

"Tenseiga?" he looked at his father's useless fang. Perhaps… He'd try again. Drawing Tenseiga he looked at her lifeless small body. Please, he willed, please let her come back to him, please give him this chance with her. He pleaded as he cut the minions from the netherworld down then sheathed Tenseiga. He didn't want her to wake in her blood, she'd probably not react well to that. Carefully he used his right hand to lift her into his arm, she had always been a fragile creature but now…she could shatter if he moved her wrong. Pulling her to him he listened in amazement as her small heart began beating again, weak and faintly at first but it became stronger and steadier.

He watched in amazement as her wounds healed, the relief filling him was immense. She was alive, she was safe, and as she slowly opened her bright brown eyes his heart skipped a beat. The happiness filling him was so immense he had to let her go before he reacted in an un-Sesshomaru manner and hugged her to him. Never in his life had he been so happy as this moment. She was safe, she was back with him, and she reeked! Holy fuck did she reek of wolves and blood, the scent was nauseating to him as he walked away. He heard her following him slowly, he was relieved, so she'd follow him still. The knowledge was exhilarating.

_Huh, Tenseiga, you compelled me to save a human life today…_

He wasn't certain if he should be grateful or furious that the sword had decided to work now of all times rather than when Inuyasha had sliced off his arm. Still, he couldn't help but be grateful that she was back with him. She was back where she belonged, and she was staying with him until the end of her days, if she had a problem with that…

To damn bad!

But first, she'd need a bath because he _**WAS NOT**_ living or traveling with that stench! The girl could stay, the eye watering, nose twitching stench had to go. Not that one knew from looking at him that her stench was that bad, he remained impassive to the world around him because to reveal a single thing he thought would put himself in danger. And worse it just might put this girl in danger.

She walked beside him, he slowed his stride a bit so she could follow him. She looked up at him with wide loving eyes, eyes he remembered and missed. Yes the girl could stay, after she had a bath.

* * *

She was terrified as she sat trapped in a bandits camp. They were speaking of horrible ways to hurt her and one of them was looking at her the same way the bandits had looked at her mother. She wanted to disappear, she wished she had never stolen that food, she wished she had never seen that pack and she wished her lord would come for her! Now would be a good time for him to show up. She didn't like how that man was looking at her, drool dripped from the corner of his mouth as she squirmed away from him.

"Release the girl," she looked up into the night to see her lord walking through the mist. His eyes were a birlliant shade of gold then they shifted to red and back to gold, his marks were shifting from smooth to jagged and back again. In the week she had traveled with her lord she had learned he was not an emotional or expressive creature, however if he were truly angry or threatened his eyes would turn read and his marks jagged.

"And why would we do that?" the bandit leering at her sneered.

"Close your eyes," he ordered her and she did as the screams filled the air. She whimpered a bit then she was lifted up in a strong arm. She didn't open her eyes until he told her it was alright, she freaked out when she saw the blood on her already tattered kimono but he soothed her, it was as if he had soothed her before because he knew what to do to calm her instantly.

He sent Jaken to get her a kimono and while Jaken was gone Sesshomaru helped her bathe.

"What is your name?" he asked her in a cold, soft voice which calmed her. She sat there dumbly, she couldn't remember her name! It had been so long since anyone had called her by her name that she didn't know it anymore.

She shook her head, he toyed with her black hair as he watched her.

"Would you mind if I called you Rin?" he asked, she blinked at him. Rin was a pretty name, and she liked it.

Smiling shyly she nodded slightly at this.

"I will protect you Rin," he promised her softly, she yawned for she felt so tired then and it was so warm sitting here with him. His body was warm, she liked it and his pelt so soft! Gently he moved her small body to around so he could pull the collar of her new kimono down then. Before she could ask what he was doing his fangs sank softly into her skin.

It didn't hurt, it was as if the bite wasn't supposed to hurt but she felt…strange then as emotions flooded her. Emotions she didn't recognize, but accepted all the same. She was curious as she sat on his lap staring out in the forest, she didn't dare to move because she sensed it was important she remain still. Like a dog he licked the wound he had inflicted on her and she felt it seal before the drowsiness she had felt earlier swamped her. Yawning she nestled against his fur and smiled at him before her eyes drooped closed.

"Now I shall always know you are mine," he murmured softly as she drifted off to sleep. She smiled as she slept feeling safe for the first time ever as his fingers slid through her tangled black hair.

* * *

**I'm still writing this prologue diligently while going on my errands, I have vain hopes I'll have all ten chapters of the prologue posted today!**

**VAIN hope I know but hey I can try!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)  
**

**I'm off to do shopping (I _HATE_ shopping!) =|**


	5. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 4

**Just One Yesterday...**

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**_

* * *

**Beginning:** _Start; The point in time or space at which something starts, comes into existence, or is first encountered…_

* * *

**Prologue 4**

Frantic, furious, and desperate…they all accurately described how he felt but mostly he felt a cold fury rolling through him. Naraku dare to take what was his!? He'd destroy the spider and then he'd retrieve the girl and once all this was all over he'd hide Rin away so no one could ever touch her, no one would ever harm her again or be a threat to her. Nothing would ever again harm Rin, not that he was going to reveal as much to this fucking spider.

Standing there disgust and contempt rolled through him as he glared at the baboon cloaked figure. This disgusting hanyō needed to perish and disappear from the face of the world. If only for Rin's safety, he could not and would not tolerate another attempt on his human's life.

"I must inform you that the mortal girl you seek is not here in my castle. She would never be able to survive the airless atmosphere of this poisonous miasma. The girl is under my protection outside the castle walls. I assure you she is unharmed…for now." The spider informed him.

He knew she was safe, he knew because he had marked her and since he had everything she felt was crystal clear to him! It was the only reason he was able to return to the girl, her unconditional, unending and unbiased love demanded he be with her. If she were in any real danger he'd flee from this pointless fight to her and destroy all who stood in his way. But since he could feel that Rin was alright he'd carry on with this fight because he would get revenge on this disgusting hanyō for having tried to trick him.

"Naraku, do me the honor of at least recognizing that I am not here simply to save Rin." He said indifferently, though he was here just to save her. Beating up this spider was a bonus in his mind.

"Of course. You of all people seem to despise taking orders from others." That was a hazard of being born, bred and raised as an alpha, you followed no one in his mind.

"You will not kill Inuyasha when told to do so." He would not kill that idiot yet because when he got around to killing that imbecile he wanted it done right the first time, slowly and painfully.

"Nor did you come to look for the girl." And to that he only had to remain impassive because that was a lie, though he knew she was not where he was he was still looking for Rin.

"I realize that you are here to kill me." Naraku announced arrogantly, Sesshomaru didn't fight the smile which turned on his lips.

"Hmm, you sound as if you believe you have led me into your trap. Perhaps later I'll have you explain yourself," Sesshomaru taunted coldly. Then he lifted his right hand up to reveal his claws in the glistening moonlight.

"If you should survive the night, that is," he growled coldly before cracking his knuckles. Let the spider know his fury for having dared to have used him or trying to harm his mate. Rin was safe for now and so for now he'd destroy this spider.

* * *

Groggily she opened her eyes, the melon was securely in her arms as she woke in a strange hut. Her heart just about stopped in fear, this was a human hut! Sitting up slowly she looked around the hut, in the corner was a very human boy, he didn't make her nervous though because he kind of reminded her of her older brother. True she had only been traveling with Sesshomaru for a little while so she knew he'd come save her, but she still wanted to get back to him. She always wanted to be with him as she stood up and hurried to the door. The boy was too quiet for her liking.

"No, you can't go outside!" he informed her.

"I have to get back," she said determinedly before she pushed the doors open. There were a lot of yōkai here, she promptly slammed the doors together when one made his way to the door. Sighing she wandered over to the boy, he really did remind her of one of her older brothers. Sitting beside him she pouted over her situation.

"I told you not to go outside. If you do they'll tear you apart," he informed her indifferently. She didn't know if she liked him or not.

"Who are you?" she demanded curiosity killing her. She wanted to know just what was going on here. True she remembered that Kagura lady kidnapping her but she didn't know why or where she was. All she knew was she was to hide the 'mark' as Sesshomaru called it. The crescent moon scar on the nape of her neck, she liked it but it was apparently to be hidden for her safety.

She looked up at the boy who was looking out at nothing.

"Were you brought here against your will, like I was? We could run away together!" her hopes were up perhaps Sesshomaru-sama wouldn't mind if she brought herself a big brother to tag along with their group. She missed her brothers.

"My job is to guard you." He stated coldly.

"Oh, I see" she sighed then. All her hopes were shattered then. The dweeb; she didn't know what a dweeb was but her brothers had called her it often enough to make her mentally refer to this kid as a dweeb. Perhaps she should ask him his name before she permanently labeled him a dweeb. Perking up at the thought she smiled then.

"Oh! You didn't tell me your name! You can call me Rin, if you want!" she liked the name her lord had given her, apparently it meant companion and since she was his companion it was suiting. "How old are you? And how come you're a guard here? Does that mean you're a yōkai like the others? Tell me, what do you like to eat? Do you like melons?"

He stared at her in shock then his face softened a bit so he looked more like a big brother than an indifferent dweeb.

"Yeah, I guess," he replied. "You sure talk a lot."

She sighed then, he was a dweeb.

"I know but I get scared when I'm not talking," she lied. _I wonder if Sesshomaru-sama will come to rescue me? _He had promised that so long as she bore the mark he'd always come to her rescue, no matter what. So where was he!?

* * *

His annoying brother had demolished half the fucking castle! And then gone about arguing with him when that fucking spider was trying to devour the two of them. The idiot! It was infuriating to him as he stood there then with Inuyasha as Naraku escaped, again.

If the hanyō had not interfered then he would not be losing his temper then.

"Sesshomaru-sama, I shall withdraw for now." Naraku informed him, his inner yōkai growled in fury as his aura consumed him. His eyes bled red again, his marks burned as they became jagged with his rage and his fangs elongated.

Naraku did not get to escape! Not after having kidnapped his mate! His Rin! And especially not after having tried to absorb and use him as a pawn! Not fucking happening! His beast snarled as he prepared to attack.

"You fool! Don't ever think you can escape my grasp!" Sesshomaru shouted in his fury. His beast wanted to rip this asshole apart from limb to limb. He wanted to destroy Naraku so there was nothing left and nothing there for them to tear up!

"Sesshomaru-sama," Naraku laughed at him. "Rather than transforming and hunting me down, shouldn't you be rushing to the side of that young mortal girl?"

His beast stopped it's desires for revenge as he mentally reached for Rin. She was safe but it was clear she was in trouble. Worse was the fact his idiot brother was here! Naraku had revealed his secret, he had to act quickly before Inuyasha and his pack took Rin under their care. He had no doubt they'd take her from him, after all he was the human hating yōkai prince and having the love and care of a young human girl would not be good for his reputation. But damn his reputation to hell! Rin was more important.

"Your companion, Rin, is with the boy Kohaku." Naraku said. Sesshomaru saw Inuyasha's reaction to the name and gaged Kohaku was a real threat to his mate's safety. Fuck!

"Inuyasha even you should understand the implictations," Naraku taunted. So Rin's safety was in genuine danger, this was a problem for him as he now desperately held onto his mental link with Rin. She was nervous right now, uncertain, and a bit afraid at this moment. With a laugh the poisonous cloud disappeared then, Naraku was gone and without a trace. He must've been badly wounded to retreat so quickly, Sesshomaru though had more pressing matters as he stood there trying to get a gage on where Rin was.

Her fear pierced him then, it was a mind freezing terror he had only ever expierenced once before in his life. His heart raced as he desperately searched through the bond for her, to 'see' what she saw so he knew where she was. Oh please Kami let her be alright!

"Huh, he's gone," Inuyasha announced. Sesshomaru saw the boy with dead brown eyes staring intently at Rin, his heart plummetted into his stomach. Naraku's puppet was a boy, and his Rin had no idea of the danger she was in from what he could sense. He just needed her to look outside, something so he knew where she was. Please, he pleaded, please Rin just give him a hint, give him a clue as to where to start! Please, before it was too late.

"Hey Sesshomaru," Inuyasha grabbed his attention but barely then as he focused on what Rin's bond was revealing to him. "Did Naraku take somebody as a hostage? A friend of yours' named Rin?"

Friend?

No, she was a distraction at this moment, she had been Naraku's diversion should he come too close to dying. Naraku thought himself cunning, but Sesshomaru wouldn't let Rin die this way! He' have her safe with him again, and if he killed this Kohaku then so be it. Rin would be saved, he flew off then. He wouldn't lose her! He refused to lose her again!

* * *

Rin stumbled after dweeb, struggling was futile, he was bigger when he stood up as she followed him through the creepy forest. The dweeb seemed to be in a trance of sorts, she didn't know what was going on here as she stumbled after him.

"Kohaku? Kohaku say something! Where are we going!?" she demanded.

No answer.

They reached a clearing then, it was a beautiful night. She stared at him, there was something wrong with his eyes, they were dead. He swung his blade and she fell back on her butt as she stared at him, stupidfied at his actions.

"Kohaku, what are you doing?" she asked evenly.

No answer, he swung at her again, she rolled to her feet and ran.

"Why are you doing this to me, Kohaku!?" she screamed as she ran low through the field. Something snaked around her legs, pulled and she was yanked back. She screamed before she hit the ground, she had tried to cover her head but when she hit the ground the wind was knocked out of her and her world went black. Sesshomaru-sama!

He held the brat by the throat staring into the boy's eyes wondering who would dare to harm his Rin and saw nothing. Even he expressed something where Rin was concerned, but he saw nothing in this boy's eyes. His gaze slid past his idiotic half-brother to the bitch who had entered through his well holding his Rin.

"She's alright Sesshomaru! She's just unconscious that's all!" the strange miko informed him.

He tightened his hold on the boy's neck when he noticed something.

Rin's scent change, she was stirring. He could destroy the boy now or drop him so Rin wasn't scarred by the sight of all the blood. He looked back at the boy then dropped him. All that mattered was Rin, he would not let what was his be tainted by his own hand.

But if that brat made one move towards her he'd destroy him.

The boy sat on the ground stunned and indifferent.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin's happy voice filled the air then, he glanced at her. She was smiling at him with brilliant brown eyes. Her love for him obvious and then she turned her gaze onto the boy.

"What happened Kohaku?" Rin asked the boy before he took off running and that bitch Kagura snatched him up. Sesshomaru fought back his growl in disgust as he turned his attentions back onto his Rin and began mentally assessing her. The child did not appear to have been harmed, but humans were so fragile he'd have to check her over to make certain.

He ignored Kagome essentially as he turned to walk away from them. He had to get away before something bad happened like him losing control. Rin chased after him and once they were away from Inuyasha's pack he snatched her up and raced away from them. Rin just smiled with joy as they ran through the forest. Thank Kami she was alright, that's all he cared about.

* * *

**Alrighty...**

**Good news I'm getting a little help on holding myself together! That's just the best news I received all month honestly.**

**I'll post the remainder of the prologue tomorrow, I'm just too tired after the day I've had to continue writing.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	6. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 5

**Just One Yesterday...  
**

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**_

* * *

**Beginning:** _Start; The point in time or space at which something starts, comes into existence, or is first encountered…_

* * *

**Prologue 5**

Having Rin around…it was most amusing. She was such an active child and though he remained impassive to all her antics he wanted her to be a child. Because he wasn't certain about who she was. Was she some reincarnation of her or was she her as a child? Sesshomaru didn't know as he stood guard over his sleeping companion.

She reminded him a lot of her, in many ways he saw the resemblance. There were times when this Rin would do something unexpected which shocked him into seeing the woman he had loved one. To night he stood over Rin since she was having scared, apparently the encounter with the wolf, Koga, had shaken her more than she cared to admit. But her fitful sleep had him worried, if she didn't sleep well he'd know it come tomorrow when he had to deal with a stubborn, cranky Rin and that thought wasn't appealing. He sat beside the small girl, just this once he'd let her sleep with him as he pulled her into his arm.

'_Just this once,' her voice whispered as she held him._

The old memory startled him into looking up into the forest half expecting the woman of his memories to materialize then. Nothing, he frowned then looked at Rin. He might miss the woman but he enjoyed this child and her childish ways. Granted he was only indifferent as he watched her but it did bring him true joy to know how happy Rin was. Her happiness was almost something tangible to him, thanks to the mark he knew how happy she was with him.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed as she slept against his mokomoko. He stroked her thick black hair, either way Rin always had this heavy black hair he always found fascinating.

Silver memories slipped through his mind of that first night under the crescent moon. The mysterious girl, the passion, and everything. He fidgeted where he sat careful to move Rin so he didn't wake or startled her. And he didn't need her noticing certain changes in him. Somewhat uncomfortable as he sat there with Rin in his lap and old heated memories burning through his mind he wondered what he was to do.

'_Let go,' he ordered the woman._

'_I can't,' she moaned._

'_Let go, Rin,' he growled out as he teased her mark._

'_Sesshomaru!' she screamed, his beast growled in delight at her actions._

The old memories jarred him a bit as he fidgeted again. That night hadn't been his first time, but he remembered it had been Rin's. And it had been one of the best nights of his life.

An earth shattering scream jarred him from the memories to sooth the Rin he held. He was gentle with how he handled her panicked nightmarish screams. To his relief her flailing limbs never kicked anything vital on his person before she settled down wrapped up in mokomoko. Jaken was out for the night so he had to deal with the scared child on his own, and he didn't know what to do. What did Jaken do to calm the girl?

He didn't know but he just held her.

Rin eventually settled and he held to him as he settled too. Perhaps this wasn't so bad. For the first time he had taken in the girl he had decided to rest. His eyes shut, his mokomoko hid and protected the girl and he rested with his beast on guard. Nothing could or would harm his mate, he would not permit it. He would not lose this girl, he had lost the first one and he would not lose the second. There was no way in hell one could ever make him suffer that pain twice in his life as he slept with Rin beside him.

* * *

Rin smiled with happiness at the familiarity of being with her lord, Jaken, and the dragon A-Un. She loved the dragon especially, who's belly she was currently scrtaching because he liked it. The beast was rumbling with delight at her actions and she was giggling up a storm from the shaking of the dragon.

"Rin," she looked at her lord then. He looked indifferent as usual but she swore he just needed a black cloud over his head to complete the pouty attitude he had going. But unless one really knew him they wouldn't have noticed it, and Jaken was obviously oblivious to it though he claimed to know Sesshomaru best.

"Yes my lord?" she asked.

"Time to go," he turned and walked away. A-Un whimpered as she slid off his belly and raced for Sesshomaru, she snatched his free hand and smiled at him. Her lord needed her attention too, and sometimes it was just better to give it to him rather than let him be grumpy all day. She squeezed his hand and began humming her song of his victorious return again as A-Un followed them. She turned around, grabbed the dangling reins as she continued to walk with her lord giving him her undivided attention.

She noticed the slight way his fingers curled around hers', as if he wanted too but couldn't hold her hand and the slightly look he gave her then. His eyes were always hard, unfeeling and cold but she could feel how he felt and it made her smile at him.

It was a perfect day for her.

* * *

"But I thought Sesshomaru didn't even like humans!" Kagome argued.

"He doesn't!" Inuyasha snapped, at least he didn't think Sesshomaru did. But it seemed odd that that one girl could be with him when he didn't like anyone. At least Inuyasha didn't think Sesshomaru liked anyone. So what made that girl so special? Who was the girl? He knew her name was Rin since Naraku had said as much but just who was the girl to his brother? He didn't know but he wanted to find out.

Still he couldn't leave Kagome here unprotected. Perhaps another time.

All of this had come about because Hokkaku and Ginta (or the idiots as he liked to refer to them) had asked about Sesshomaru and Kagome had offhandedly mentioned him not liking anyone. Then mentioning that the lout had changed a bit which led to her pointing the change out to him which brought them to the topic of the mysterious little girl traveling with him.

Perhaps this Rin was actually worth knowing because he had a feeling this Rin was very important in more ways than one. Inuyasha sighed though as he stretched out under the stars to stare up at the sky in thought. He wondered who Rin was, he had yet to offically meet the girl, perhaps it was time he did meet her.

* * *

**Still working on the prologue! Someone brought it to my attention and asked if I'd be posting the original chapters and the answer to that is: YES! I just have to organize them a bit but all of the original chapters will be posted in this story though perhaps not where they originally were, the reason for this is because I'm rearranging the story.  
**

**I'm not throwing away the 29 chapters I had! I'm just rearranging everything and starting at a different starting point than before. That's all, Nothing else I'm doing will change this story other than organizing it a bit more clearly so I know what time period I'm in. I'm playing with fire here folks and I'm trying not to get burned by this, playing with time in any story is tricky and I really want to write this story so I'm going to do it right so I don't have to delete it later for the rearranging.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	7. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 6

**Just One Yesterday...  
**

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**_

* * *

**Happiness:** _Feeling Pleasure; feeling or showing contentment or joy…_

* * *

**Prologue 6**

To be with Rin was one thing he didn't think about. Being with or around the girl proved to be pleasant for him so he didn't worry too much how he felt about her. It wasn't as if he were attracted to children like some and he didn't see the purpose of mating a child. All the mating mark on her neck gave him was a mental link with the girl, it gave him unfettered access to how she was or what she was feeling. He liked it because it made his life and his care for the girl easier.

Except in cases like this moment.

Now he sensed Rin's worry, she worried over something Jaken said and it had planted doubt within her about his car for her. But at the same time it was reasonable to him that she be slightly doubtful of his intentions with her. But it wasn't his intentions that she doubted but rather herself. He didn't like that. Still he listened to this monk and heard his father's old preachings, and what Jaken had pointed out to the girl and it was paining him. She did belong with humans, he knew as much. He had known since the day he had taken her in.

Rin belonged with humans!

She needed to be with others humans who understood her, who could help her and who could raise her with the love and warmth he knew he could not provide. It wasn't that he didn't want to give her his love and affections it was he didn't know _**HOW**_ to give her those emotions. He did not express his emotions, he hadn't even as a pup. To him it was difficult to know how to express what he felt, mostly because to him it was pointless to express them.

His mother had never cared.

And his father had always been his rival.

Why the hell would he express how he felt with parents like them? So as he listened to this monk he pondered himself and how he felt about this. Rin did belong with humans, he knew she belonged with humans but he couldn't let her go…

"Sesshomaru-sama!" her voice pierced his thoughts.

"Please come save me!" she cried, his resolve broke and he scented Inuyasha's crew coming here. He needed to take her with him now if he was going to take her at all. He unveiled his presence then, the monk hurled a spiritual weapon at him.

Rin smiled at him.

He was annoyed as he began walking towards her. She was his, and how dare they keep her from him. Nothing could keep her from him other than her desire to be free of him. He accepted that as a part of who he was, it was the only vulnerable part of himself too. Rin could destroy him and she didn't know it, he wouldn't let her know it either.

Instead he stalked towards his small mate.

* * *

Inuyasha had left the crew mostly because it was the first time since he had heard his brother's words to the Rin girl that he wondered the depth of what she truly meant to his brother. It wasn't often something truly bothered him but this was one of the few things which irritated him. Granted there was an element to Sesshomaru he would never understand but he was relatively certain his brother was simple to understand. Sesshomaru hated those inferior to him and that would never change. At least he had thought it would never change, now Inuyasha wasn't too certain about that.

A girl's humming voice reached him and he was curious.

Following her voice he stumbled on that Rin girl, Jaken was shouting at her about staying in the hot spring too long but the girl just splashed him.

"Master Jaken Rin is fine!" the girl shouted at the toad, who instantly turned red.

"My lord doesn't want you getting too hot Rin! You must be careful because you are human!" Jaken shouted at the girl who stuck her tongue out at him. When she turned Inuyasha felt his jaw drop.

There!

Right there!

There as plain as day was a purple crescent moon scar, a mating mark, on the nape of her small neck. What the hell!? There was a feral snarl behind him which had him freezing on the spot. Oh shit! Fuck him! This was his worst fucking nightmare right at the moment! This moment was a moment he had hoped would never happen, ever!

"Inuyasha!" he slowly turned to face his tall brother who loomed over him then with his brilliant golden eyes burning with rage.

"S-S-Sesshomaru," he strangled out. "I say nothing! I saw nothing! I swear!"

"Get away from Rin," Sesshomaru's growl had him happily clambering away. He was shocked he got out of this situation alive. But he wouldn't say anything, every, to anyone! There would never be a word of this from him! His brother's business was his brother's business and that was that! Inuyasha hurried back to his pack and prayed that Sesshomaru would leave him be.

* * *

Sesshomaru looked over at Rin who splashed Jaken then, he sighed in relief knowing that the yōkai he had scented was only his idiot brother. Jaken was yelling at her some more and he slipped away into the night.

To his relief Rin had followed him, to his joy she had said yes, and to his undeniable guilt he knew he was stealing away her future. But being the selfish bastard that he was he didn't care. Her future, her life, her heart, and her all belonged to him. And the knowledge to him was enthralling, Rin was his and that meant more than all the ultimate power in the world.

Rin was everything to him and he'd keep her at all costs.

He was indifferent when she appeared in the clearing she'd be sleeping into night teasing Jaken. He was cold in attitude as he listened to his servant whine about having to cook her dinner and Rin offering to cook them both dinner. He was impassive to everything as he watched the two closely. All was right with his world at this moment as Rin fell asleep. Once she and Jaken were asleep he snatched up Rin, wrapped her up in mokomoko and held onto her for the night.

Thank Kami she had stayed with him!

It meant he didn't have to be alone anymore.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	8. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 7

**Just One Yesterday...  
**

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**_

* * *

**Happiness:** _Feeling Pleasure; feeling or showing contentment or joy…_

* * *

**Prologue 7**

Sesshomaru stared down at the grave of the one human he hated above all humans and felt like destroying Sō'unga more important than wielding it. Then again, wielding Sō'unga would give him the power he craved and make him his father's equal finally; even if he was missing his left arm. He could surpass his father, he could destroy all who opposed him with ease (he didn't really even need Tokijin or Tenseiga or Sō'unga but he wanted the power). Sesshomaru stared at the grave.

The old memories swirled through his mind and he frowned.

"Setsuna no Takemaru," he tested the hated name on his tongue then. "Sō'unga chose that vermin as it's host?"

Sesshomaru had a feeling his picking of Takemaru was on purpose, Sō'unga was a very cunning sword after all and if he had been able to read his mind in that battle against Inuyasha then Sō'unga would have known. Sesshomaru did not like this at all. But first he'd have to take care of the ignorant pest standing here with him. He'd nee Tetsusaiga to destroy Sō'unga and Takemaru, he wanted and needed it whereas Inuyasha did not even understand the significance of the fang he wielded.

"Give me Tetsusaiga and die!" Sesshomaru shouted as he attacted. He wanted and needed it to protect Rin, he didn't give a fuck about the barrier preventing him from using it.

Unwise, he knew, but he had left Rin in Jaken's care and apparently Rin had stuck around with Inuyasha's pack. He saw the stupidity of that move now because they had dared to bring her to battle! When he was finished with this he'd destroy Jaken for this stupidity and then he'd rip Inuyasha's miko apart, limb by limb for this atrocity! How dare they put his mate, his Rin, his ward, his girl in harm! His human was not supposed put in harms way! And if he had known before now that she was here he'd have flayed them all alive!

But now he leapt up after Rin who was hugging his Tenseiga to herself screaming for him to save her and he couldn't stop himself from running after her. She was far more important to him than this pointless battle. He ignored Inuyasha who he left behind and had fought with to get to her. Please, please dear Kami let her be alright! He couldn't lose her again, he couldn't let her die at Takemaru's hand, again!

* * *

Rin ran, the paralyzing fear coursing through her had her running with Kagome and screaming desperately for Sesshomaru to save her.

"Come and get me!" Kagome shouted as she held up the rusty sheath, Rin just bit her lip.

"What are you doing!?" the sheath demanded.

"It can put up a barrier right!?" Kagome demanded.

"Ha! A rusty old sheath is of no used to you!" Takemaru declared, her heart plummeted then.

"It's not!?" the sheath squeaked. Kagome flew back and hit the wall, her fury boiled then as she stepped infront of her elder.

"How dare you!?" Rin snapped at him. "A real man would never hit a girl!" she shielded Kagome then, Kagome had always been among the kind humans to her and she would not stand to see her beat up. Rin could take the beating, she had always taken the beatings and despite her fears of another beating she had no doubt that she'd survive. Kagome was just too nice to survive a beating, and then there was the matter of her lord never saving another but her, she was the only human who would ever be saved by Sesshomaru-sama. But that didn't mean she couldn't save Kagome! Sesshomaru would save her!

He always did!

"Rin, run," Kagome panted, Rin glanced at the woman.

"Don't worry Kagome, Sesshomaru-sama will come and save us!" Rin encouraged, he'd save them! He'd always save her!

"Enough! Resign yourself to the netherworld!" she looked up at the demented human called Setsuna no Takemaru and wince at the hatred she saw in his eyes. She wanted to run! But she wouldn't let anything happen to Kagome! Sō'unga came swinging down on her.

"_**RIN!**_" Kagome screamed, she squeezed her eyes shut then.

_**SESSHOMARU-SAMA! **_She mentally screamed, he wouldn't let her die! He'd save her! He always did! He promised! He promised to protect her! He had better show up!

She waited to be killed but there was nothing.

She heard Kagome's startled gasp and cracked her eyes open at the electric crackling in the air. Sesshomaru's sword, it was holding Sō'unga away from her, his amber eyes were alight with a fight she had never seen and then he glanced at her. The relief in her was overwhelming but she saw his brief relief at seeing her before he threw Takemaru away from her. She just hurried behind her lord as quickly as she could.

"Be gone. You will only be in my way here," he informed her coldly, she smiled then.

"He's right Rin," Kagome informed her. Of course he was right! He was Sesshomaru-sama after all and Sesshomaru-sama was never wrong, but Rin refrained from pointing that out to Kagome. It wasn't her fault for her ignorance in this matter, she was Inuyasha's woman after all.

"Come on, let's go!" Kagome tried to herd her away, but Rin wasn't leaving yet. She dusted off Tenseiga for her lord then.

"Sesshomaru-sama, your sword," she held up the fang he cared about deeply then with a smile as he looked over at her with cold commanding golden eyes.

"Hurry, and go," he ordered coldly. She wasn't hurt by his tone for she understood, she understood what he wanted her to do then and she had a feeling he'd need the Tenseiga.

"Right," she nodded her head then set the Tenseiga down to run after Kagome.

* * *

The battle was grueling, and honestly it was becoming a hassle as he rushed Sō'unga's animated body, he had already disposed of Takemaru and now he had to deal with this zombie. But the sword's animated body nimbly avoided all attacks. He shoved his idiot brother out of the way then.

"You're in the way!" he shouted, he shoved Inuyasha out of the path of Sō'unga's attack then. He heard Rin's scream, it was deafening, it was crippling and it was something he used to focus as his fingers closed around the hilt of his sword. Quick as the attack was upon he slammed the fang into the earth, the winds, the rocks, the pain all hit him but Rin's plea for him to be alright rang through his mind so he focused on his bond with her.

He could take it.

He could take all the pain in this world for her. And so he focused on her until the attack was over. Rin's many emotions were invigorating and empowering, her faith in him was overwhelming and the love he felt from her was intoxicating, he wouldn't die without fight for a chance to be with her. Not this time, he wasn't losing her this time!

He glared up at Sō'unga then.

Inuyasha came flying in on an attack while he caught his breath and he just watched as he thought of how to destroy Sō'unga. He'd destroy that accursed blade for having threatened Rin if nothing else. But then Inuyasha started spouting off this nonsense of having someone to protect and it sounded just like their father to his irritating.

'_Have you someone to protect?' his father's voice asked him._

_**NO!**_ His mind screamed, he did not protect, it was a waste of time and effort. Still Rin's smile flashed through his mind.

"Someone to protect." He whispered softly, the last time he had to protect someone…Rin died and it was his father's fault! _**He'd never protect anyone! EVER! Never again would he protect someone because then you could lose them and he was not losing this Rin!**_

"I, Sesshomaru, have no one to protect!"

His fury, his confussion and pain came flying out of Tenseiga then as he struck at Sō'unga. He would not lose her ever again! He wouldn't protect her! He wasn't her protection! But she was his! This confused him as he watched Sō'unga's animated body be ripped to shreds by his brother's and his attack. He leapt over to where Rin was, he wanted the confusion he felt gone and being with her always cleared his head, perhaps it was childlike innocence or the fact that this Rin was still with him.

Sō'unga and his left arm fell into the pit when this was all done and then there was this heavenly glow which had his eyes widening slightly.

_**Father**_.

There as plain as the day was his father's image staring right at them with a slight smile on his lips. Sesshomaru could do nothing more than stared at the image, he was stupefied for the first time in his life.

"Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, you finally found the answer. You have ensured Sō'unga will be sealed forever in the netherworld. I have nothing more to teach you."

So this had all been a fucking test!? The fury boiling in him knew no bounds then, he had almost lost Rin for a fucking test! He wanted to fly up to his father's apparition and strangle the careless lout!

Father.

He just glanced at Rin then turned to walk away. Rin raced after him, he was relieved that she was alright and still willing to follow him despite everything that had happened in the past few days.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she smiled at him, he said nothing as they walked on.

He was so confused!

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	9. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 8

**Just One Yesterday...**_**  
**_

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **_

* * *

**Happiness:** _Feeling Pleasure; feeling or showing contentment or joy…_

* * *

**Prologue 8**

Happiness was _**NOT**_ what he was feeling at this moment. In fact what he felt was so far from happy that he was just tempted to snatch Rin away and run for the mountains. But the boy holding her in a happy hug was the object of his hatred at the moment, how dare he touch her!

Sesshomaru fought off the snarl at the newest addition to his little party who was more annoying than Jaken, more demanding than A-Un, and more oblivious than Rin. He hated the brat, he despised Kohaku. And worse was the fact that the brat did not see his hatred nor did Inuyasha's pack understand his dislike of the brat. But the brat had tried to kill Rin, multiple times and he would never be forgiven in Sesshomaru's eyes for that deceit. And it was in his moments alone when he watched over Jaken watching over Rin that he truly hated the boy.

"Rin, why do you travel with Sesshomaru-sama?" Kohaku asked, Sesshomaru froze on the spot. Why did Rin travel with him? Not because she was his, he hadn't exactly explained what the mark meant. Come to think of it he didn't think he had ever explained what the mark meant to Rin.

"Aren't you just a burden to him and a nuciance? He doesn't like humans so why do you travel with Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Because he's my lord and he saved me," Rin explained as she played with her flowers whilst humming a song about his return that she made up. He wasn't certain what all the words in this particular tune were but she seemed fond of it. He didn't mind it though her childish voice was not appealing to his ears it wasn't entirely unappealing, after all she was his so he liked everything about her.

"But why Rin?" Kohaku persisted.

"Because!" she shouted at him.

"That's not a reason Rin!" Kohaku snapped.

"It is so! You're just being an over grown dweeb!" she screamed as she threw her flowers at him and stomped off. Jaken tried to chase after her but Sesshomaru knew Rin was too fast for Jaken and he scented her tears, fuck! He slipped from his perch into a small clearing so Rin could find him, though she always seemed to find him whether he wanted her to or not. She came through the bushes with tears streaming down her face, he hated the boy even more then.

"Rin," he greeted her coldly, she bit her lip as she stared up at him. Then before he could really anticipate what was to come next with her and her wild emotions she started sobbing, running towards him and hugged him. He just blinked down at the child and wondered if what Kohaku had said really hurt her, he wouldn't know since few had ever really been able to hurt him. Mentally he searched their bond, and mentally all he felt was her uncertainty and fear and loneliness. That wasn't acceptable, she shouldn't ever feely uncertain, fear was inevitable on occasion, and loneliness was not something he'd ever let her feel.

"Sesshomaru-sama likes Rin traveling with him, right?" the child whimpered.

"Hn," was his answer as he sat on the forest floor and in a very un-Sesshomaru manner tilted her chin up so she'd look at him. Her tears were falling quickly down her cheeks and he just added this to one of the many other reasons he did not like that brat.

"Am I a burden? Am I a nucience? Do you like Rin?" she whimpered out, he wiped the tears away then because he didn't know what words to use to sooth this girl. She just leaned her head into his hand and closed her eyes before looking at him. Those brown eyes held a look that made him think of the woman he had loved, the one woman who had always made him feel happy and loved. Looking at her bright, large brown eyes he knew she had the answers she needed for she smiled slightly then.

* * *

She could feel how much he cared for her then, in that one simple touch she felt it. In this one rare touch she could feel his sadness, his care, his protectiveness, his grief, his happiness, and his anger, and what he hid from the world. She smiled at him despite her tears, he cared about her. That was more than enough for her because she hadn't ever thought he would care for her. To her this was wonderful and liberating and pure joy.

Carefully, because she didn't know how her lord would react, she tenderly covered his larger hand with her own smaller hand. His eyes held shock at her gesture but quickly turned back into being their normal cold, hard golden expressionless eyes.

"Rin loves Sesshomaru-sama," she informed him then let go of his hand as he stood up away from her. She smiled then skipped off to go punch Kohaku, the dweeb would suffer for making her think her lord didn't care about her!

* * *

Kohaku followed Sesshomaru and Rin and A-Un and Jake frowning. He had a black eye and bloodied nose because of one fiesty little girl who had clearly been infuriated over his logical questions. She was chattering away with Jaken as she walked beside Sesshomaru.

He liked her smile, even his twelve year old mind knew he liked her but something in him wanted her. He didn't understand this feeling he felt for her, it wasn't odd for him to want things but Rin was the first person he wanted to possess. Perhaps when he got older he'd marry her. The thought to him was thrilling! He wanted to marry Rin.

* * *

Something was amiss.

Though what it was Sesshomaru didn't know as he glanced over his shoulder at Kohaku and Rin. He didn't like this new look he saw in Kohaku's eyes but he didn't know what it meant either as he looked down at Rin. She just chatted away happily with Jaken completely unaware of what was bothering him. He was relieved and annoyed with Rin's innocence sometimes.

This was one of the times he was grateful she was a child and couldn't read the beast in him.

He didn't like the Kohaku boy, he wanted Kohaku gone. But first he had some questions for his mother about the Tenseiga and after that he'd defeat Naraku and then kick Kohaku out of his group because he did not want the boy around Rin if he could make Rin cry. Yes, this list of priorities was something he could live with.

But first thing was first.

Answers.

* * *

**Still writing here folks!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	10. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 9

**Just One Yesterday...  
**

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**_

* * *

**Happiness:**_ Feeling Pleasure; feeling or showing contentment or joy…_

* * *

**Prologue 9**

"Sesshomaru-sama," the pest called out for him.

"It's Rin," he stopped then. "I don't think she's breathing."

And just like that his world came crashing down, all of it was destroyed dead, damaged beyond repair as he turned slowly to look at Kohaku. She couldn't be dead, she was just a child and she had died once. She had to be asleep, yes, asleep, she couldn't be dead. But as he stared at the two children he knew, because even in sleep, Rin was never this still.

"You're sure Rin is dead?" he said this carefully as he watched every minute expression of the boy, the pest, the creature he hated more than he hated everyone else because Kohaku had a part of Rin's affections. If this boy was lying to him then he'd destroy the boy take the jewel shard to Inuyasha's pack and take Rin far away, somewhere where she would be safe no matter what.

"She isn't breathing, and I can feel her body getting colder and colder," Kohaku defended himself. Sesshomaru just stared at Rin's small form on the back of the boy.

"Very well, set her down." Tenseiga would save her. It had to save her, after all it had brought her to him. It would simply have to bring her back to him again, else there'd be hell to pay and he'd damn the whole world.

Kohaku did as he was ordered and softly lay Rin out on the ground.

Sesshomaru drew Tenseiga and stared down at Rin. Where were they? Where were the messengers from the netherworld? They should be here, where was Rin's soul if they weren't here? And no one could convince him that this little human did not have a soul when she smiled like an angel.

* * *

He chased her into the darkness, he hadn't hesitated to leave the opening his mother had given him because if Rin wasn't in his world he couldn't live. It was a pathetic truth about himself he didn't like but he knew he could never again live a life without Rin in it. She was it, she was the one, there'd be no other and if he had to wait a thousand years for her to grow up then so be it but one day his mate would be his in every way. He couldn't live another lifetime without her, he had missed the Rin from his puphood, he had craved the woman from his youth, and he had come to like the child he had taken in. But he couldn't live without her.

The only reason he had made it as far in life as he had was her last words to him.

He couldn't let this be her end! So he raced after her, he raced through the darkness and he ignored the boy behind him. Rin, she was it, she was all he wanted and all he needed in life. He couldn't let this cold, nothingness of darkness steal her from him. It was later he learned he hadn't hesitated to run after her, draw Tenseiga and cut the netherworld's undertaker down to hold her in his arm.

"Please Rin, you're safe now. Wake up," he ordered her to wake up. She had to wake up, he couldn't lose her. All he really remembered was holding her small, cold frail body in his arm staring at her as his mother's voice spoke to him through the Tenseiga.

'_That's odd, his mother's voice rang in his head through Tenseiga. The guardian of the underworld has been cut down, and yet she remains lifeless.'_

His mother was just noticing this now! He stared at Rin's little body then, she needed to wake up!

'_Little demon, tell me is it possible the human girl has been revived by Tenseiga once before?'_

Why would it matter if she had? He wondered as he stared at Tenseiga and listened to his mother's calm, cold voice through the accursed blade. Was Tenseiga linked to the Meidostone and his mother somehow for him to hear her as he did now? There were so many things he wondered about but mostly he feared his mother being able to see in his head and see how much Rin meant, truly meant, to him. That would not be good.

'_Then she cannot be brought back to life.'_

The words shattered him as Tenseiga fell from his limp fingers, he didn't want to hear what else his mother had to say then as he held the girl tightly against his chest. She couldn't be saved! He felt like crying, he felt like screaming, he felt like destroying the world around him because of all the creatures in the world she was the only one truly worthy of living! He hugged her small body to him hoping she'd wake and tell him he was holding her too tightly.

But she wouldn't wake, he couldn't save her. The knowledge was killing him, he couldn't save her again!

This was the third time he couldn't save her and it was killing him as he held her against him fighting back his sorrow, his pain and his grief. He wanted her back! He wanted her to stand by his side and smile at him again, he wanted her small hand to take his and hold one with a strength he didn't know a human pup could have. He wanted her to laugh, he wanted her to sing about him, he wanted her to play with flowers and to bring him a boquet of flowers to tuck into his sash for luck, he wanted her to tease Jaken again, he wanted her to race him on A-Un, and he wanted her to tell him she loved him one last time.

Just one last time.

He'd give up everything, every year to come, every tomorrow his future held, every century he'd live for one last yesterday with his girl. Just one yesterday! It was all he wanted, it was all he needed, it was all he craved. And in that one yesterday he'd tell her, he'd find the words, he find a way to express what he felt for her rather than stand there impassively while she smiled.

Just one yesterday…

Nothing had been worth the cost of Rin. Nothing, not supereme power, not revenge, not even the death of Naraku, and certainly not perfecting the Meido Zangetsuha. Nothing was equal to the cost or value of Rin's life. Nothing!

He noticed the corpses then, perhaps in saving them he could save Rin…

* * *

"What's wrong Sesshomaru?" she asked her son, he looked so indifferent to the world but she sensed it. Despite her callous attitude and cold demeanor she did care about her son, she cared about him deeply and she wanted him happy. But the loss she sensed from him through her Meidostone had her looking intently at the dead girl. Was the child really so important? She looked at her son who was looking indifferently at her. Perhaps she should explain this so her son understood this better, he had no real concept of loss in his life and had no knowledge of how frail life could be. After all he had never lost anyone he loved.

"You look so sad. Tenseiga has matured considerably, and your Meido has expanded just as you hoped. Isn't that cause for celebration?" she asked, she was carefully every emotion her son let off through the Meido stone. She did not sense joy or happiness at what she had pointed out, perhaps InuTaisho's little plan would truly work and perhaps someday her son could truly be Inu no Taisho as she and InuTaisho had hoped.

"Did you know this would happen to Rin?" he asked, his voice hard and unfeeling but she heard it. Even if it was well hidden she heard it. Grief, pain, sorrow, regret, loss, and…loneliness? She was curious about this loneliness she sensed from her son. It wasn't as if he had marked the girl or anything so why would he be lonely? Or had he marked the girl and concealed the bond? Sesshomaru would do something like that, after all InuTaisho had done just that when he had marked Izayoi.

"Did you, Mother!?" he demanded. It was the first display of an emotion from her son she had ever heard in his entire life. Even as a pup he hid everything he felt or was thinking to protect himself. Or did he simply not understand how he was to express it? She wondered.

"If I am no mistaken you have already used Tenseiga to revive her once, have you not?" she challenged. She still sensed uncertainty within him and her heart broke for him. She'd really have to explain this to him wouldn't she?

"Son, Tenseiga can only call a person back from the dead once," she said softly.

His eyes widened then before he looked down. Her heart was breaking for him as she felt everything he was feeling then.

"It only makes sense," she continued. "Life is not supposed to be limitless after all. It is not something that can be renewed over and over again for your own convenience. Sesshomaru, had you come to believe that you were a god, perhaps? That you did not need to fear death, as long as Tenseiga was in your hands?"

Apparently he had, she could sense as much and she felt like chiding him. But the way he was looking so lost and confused was hurting her so she'd continue with the lesson his father had insisted he always needed.

"You needed to learn two things. The desire to save the life of a loved one taken by death, and the sorrow and fear which companies that loss. Your father wanted me to tell you this: 'Tenseiga is a sword for healing. Only a person who values life and possesses a compassionate heart my wield such a weapon and use it's power to bury their enemies.'

"That is the requirement of any who wish to be worthy of Tenseiga, a sword that can save lives and condemn others." She stared at her son who was just looking indirectly at the little, lifeless, girl. There was something familiar about the girl, though what it was she could not put her finger on. Then the most annoying sound filled the air and she looked at the little kappa who always followed her son around, he was wailing up the most annoying storm of tears! But why?

"Little demon, why are you crying?" she asked softly.

"The name's Jaken, my lady. It just that Sesshomaru-sama by his very nature will never shed tears so I must cry in his stead!" the green creature howled.

"Oh, is that how you feel, Sesshomaru?" she asked, she sensed her son's dislike of the statement but also sensed it was true. He would never reveal how deeply wounded he was by this, and it was killing her. She sighed.. She could give him back that which he loved, but it would mean…she looked at the Meidostone then. She could pay the price it demanded, she could sever her bond with her late lover and her son if it meant he was happy. Any mother, every mother, only wanted their child's happiness and if that meant giving up the only link to him she had then so be it.

"This is her last chance. You understand?" she asked pulling the Meidostone from her neck. Walking over to the little girl she bent over the child and went to place the necklace around the girl when she saw it. The mark! It was concealed but it was there as plain as day all the same. A purple crescent mark was branding the girl and now she smiled softly to herself. So her son wasn't completely hopeless, not if he found his true mate.

Now she knew why the girl was familiar, she had met this little girl as a woman once.

A long time ago…

* * *

Sesshomaru knelt over his now breathing Rin and only felt relief at seeing her alive again. He was so overcome with happiness that before he had really thought about what he was doing he had cupped the small girl's cheek and waited for her to open her eyes again. Her heartbeat was getting stronger with each beat and her body was warming up. She coughed and opened her eyes to look at him. There it was, there was the one thing he had been waiting for since her heart had started beating again.

Love, her love for him.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed as she brought her small hand up to his and held it. "You're here," she smiled. His heart stopped with joy at her being alive again.

"You're alright now Rin?" he asked coldly.

"I am," she assured him. That was good, that was all that mattered and as he knelt there looking at his human he was relieved. She'd be alright now, and once this was all done he'd take her someplace safe where he did not need to worry about her time running out again.

* * *

InuKimi waited until her son was gone before she slumped into her throne. It had worked, but at what cost? Was this really the price InuTaisho wanted their son to pay? Had InuTaisho known about the girl? Had he known the true depth of what the girl had done for their son? Did he really want Sesshomaru to pay that price?

* * *

**Oh boy, I'm tired! I didn't think I'd write this much in between all my errands today but wow!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	11. Just One Yesterday: Prologue 10

**Just One Yesterday...  
**

* * *

_**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**_

* * *

**Happiness:**_ Feeling Pleasure; feeling or showing contentment or joy…_

* * *

**Prologue 10**

Was this it? Was this his death? Was this the end of his life? Sesshomaru stood there in nothingness feeling nothing except that burning pain from the stab wound in his chest, in his heart.

"Give it up, you are weak," he heard a sick voice whisper in his ear. He snarled, he was not weak! "You'll always be weak and you can never best me. Didn't you know you're a part of me, you'll be in the Shikon no Tama before you know it and you'll never see her again. Give it up, you are weak!"

"_**SOMEBODY HELP HIM!**_" her voice screamed, no it was Rin's voice, it was her voice. Which Rin was it?

"_**Oh no! He's dead!**_" a child sobbed.

"_**My lord would never die to someone so inferior! Now help him!**_" a woman's voice snapped commandingly.

Who was screaming? Who was crying? Who cared? Who did she send to help him? The memories were fuzzy, whispers, ghosts in his mind as he stood there in nothingness. What was this place? This wasn't death, no if it was death he wouldn't be able to think. But this wasn't life either, if this was living then he'd be able to comfort her. Whoever her was.

"Sesshomaru," he looked up then into a set of brilliant amber eyes.

"Are you so weak as to need my help to defend your mate?" his father sneered at him, he glared at his father.

"_**NO!**_" he snapped fiercely, there was a tingling in his arm. A phantom pain he assured himself.

"Do you need the Tetsusaiga? Are you really so weak as to need a material object to defend her?" InuTaisho's ghost challenged him.

"I need nothing!" he roared and then there was a blast of energy which had the cocoon around him being ripped apart. He needed nothing of his inferior father's to defend Rin and if his father had thought him inferior then so be it but he would no longer try to take the Tetsusaiga and he would no longer need that accursed Tenseiga to keep her safe! He'd do it on his own!

* * *

That had been the day he had let go of his worldly desires and the day he obtained Bakusaiga, Bakusaiga was the thing to have destroy Naraku and it was the fang he had always wondered about. A final gift from his first Rin perhaps? He could see the stubborn woman hiding her fang within him, she had always been so fond of this fang that he wondered if that was what had happened. Her final parting gift?

He hadn't thrown it down the well with her, he didn't remember what had happened to it after that night but he had occassionally looked for it. Was this her final trick? Her final gift? Her final legacy? He wondered as he stood with the child by the well while they waited for Inuyasha. He didn't know why he had to be here but he didn't mind, it was where Rin wanted to be. For a change he was willing to stay by the well and wait for someone who wasn't Rin.

The girl looked up at him with big, worried, brown eyes as he sat with her waiting for his idiotic brother. What was going through her mind? He wondered, true their bond was strong but it was only really he who knew how to use it. When he was in Rin's mind though he saw her worrying about his brother, the strange miko, Inuyasha's pack, his followers, Kohaku, and the future. She should worry about this, he didn't want her to worry about this because she was only a child. How did she have it in her to worry and care about so many? He wondered as he sat there toying with a strand of her black hair.

"Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Hn?" he replied.

"Does your arm hurt?" she asked as she looked at his new left arm. He looked at the arm then. Did it hurt? No. Was it odd having it again? Yes. For so long he had lived without it that it seemed…abnormal to have it again. What did hurt was his chest where Magatsuhi had stabbed him but he hadn't had the time to properly look himself over and until Inuyasha had returned he didn't think he would get the chance to look himself over.

"No Rin," he replied coldly as he continued toying with her hair.

"The what hurts?" Rin asked innocently.

"Nothing," he lied. He was lying through his teeth but he didn't care. He'd worry about himself later, until the idiot returned he couldn't worry about himself.

"Are you sure?" the eight year old eyed him skeptically, he refused to smirk or laugh of smile at her actions because there was an audience here.

"Yes Rin," he answered patiently.

"Alright, can I sit on your lap?" she asked innocently.

He didn't object or reply as he picked her up and let her settle awkwardly on his lap. They sat there for a long time, he didn't mind but he saw the way the old miko glared at him and the young brat frowned at him. It was none of their business how he treated Rin because she was his and not theirs. However he had a feeling that he would be leaving the child behind when he left again, wherever he was going it would not be suited for a child. Of this he had no doubt.

Still he'd enjoy having her with him here and now.

* * *

Sesshomaru stared at the mark, it was a black mark and in the form of Magatsuhi's markings. See much like tigers yōkai markings were distinct, so when there was a cursed placed upon a different yōkai by a yōkai the cursed would know who had cursed them. And here he was standing in the river looking at his reflection and on his toned chest there was a distinct, small, black mark with Magatsuhi's markings.

Fuck!

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	12. PART II: AT A BEGINNING

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Part II**

* * *

**At A Beginning**

Beginnings are tricky things, they just start without warning or notice, and sometimes there are no beginnings. They never began, they never ended, but they never had a beginning point. If you follow the story from them there was no beginning.

How could there be a beginning when they have yet to finish their story? There've been plenty of fairy tales and epic loves which begin and end but they have neither. Their story never began, it would never end.

Together forever, they truly are together forever and in ways no one else could ever achieve even when they're apart they were together. I don't know if they ever felt lonely or lost, but I know they always felt incomplete apart. Father was a loner, mother a lover and it was because they never started or ended they could always be together. Perhaps it's because of this they were able to achieve everything they did in life.

Perhaps they'll live forever, I don't know but what I know is that that they did the impossible without anyone believing in them. Without anyone helping them. Without the luxury of failure. So perhaps to have a beginning is not important, perhaps what's important is everything that they did before their beginning, before their end.

Either way, they will always be.

* * *

_**AN: Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village is the central starting point for this story: This Time Is Eight Years After The Fall Of Naraku! Meaning that when it's referenced that's the where the starting point is and I'm doing all my addition and subtraction of years from this point.**_

_**-Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village = Eight Years After the Fall of Naraku-**_

_**-273 Years Into the Past = 273 Years from Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village-**_


	13. At A Beginning: Chapter 1

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Destiny:**_Somebody's preordained future; the apparently predetermined and inevitable series of events that happen to somebody or something…_

* * *

**Chapter 1  
**

_**Eight Years After the Fall Of Naraku...**_

Sesshomaru lay there holding her in absolute bliss for the first time in over three hundred years he felt nothing but bliss; well he was ignoring a slight pain in his chest but he was still happy to be holding her right then. She snuggled against his chest as they lay under the sakura enjoying the sun and the summer morning. This was perfect as he lay there holding her. Nothing could ruin this moment, he had been waiting for this moment for what felt like centuries.

"Sesshomaru," she breathed as she slept in ignorant bliss. He just smirked at that as he lay there, his angel was sounded sleepy and safe. Sesshomaru had to admit he liked it as he lay there. This was a perfect afternoon for him. There was nothing that could ruin it. It would only be better if he could seduce her, but now was not the right moment for such thoughts. For now he'd just enjoy this moment.

"Sesshomaru!" he internally groaned at the voice as he sat up carefully removing the sleeping girl. The dilemmas of trying to get an afternoon free. He was quick to hide his sleeping companion under some silk because they'd never understand if they saw her sleeping against him. Some things weren't for them to understand, they weren't to be understood because his sleeping companion had always been his. Not that they'd understand that.

He was quick to lure them away from his sleeping companion. It was imperative they didn't know about her yet. It was important that they at least thought they had a chance to keep her. He emerged from the woods around the village to see one very pregnant, worried looking Kagome who was leaning against a tree out of breath. The young miko immediately looked relieved to see him.

"Have you seen Rin?" Kagome asked.

"No," he lied.

"We can't find her and Kohaku has something really important to ask her," Kagome informed him.

He fought back his snarl. The boy had been pestering Rin for months to ask her that question; after he had already told him no. Rin was his and he wasn't giving her up but it appeared Inuyasha's mate hadn't caught onto the fact he was not handing his Rin over to that prick. Kohaku was beyond unworthy of Rin, the brat had tried to kill her; many times; and then he had almost been the death of her in the end when Magatsuhi had abducted her.

"No," Sesshomaru repeated for the umpteenth time as he began herding Kagome away from where he had tucked Rin away for the time being.

"But!" Kagome protested.

"_**NO!**_" he snarled out, his emotions taking over at this moment.

"Sesshomaru, she's turning sixteen tonight. Don't you think she should decide for herself, and she and Kohaku would make such an adorable couple!" Kagome argued, he just refrained from shouting 'no' again as he herded the biggest pain his ass as of late back to her village.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha sounded relieved when Sesshomaru brought back Kagome. Sesshomaru just resisted the desire to throw Kagome at Inuyasha, grab Rin from where he had her sleeping and run. Rin was his but Kagome was driving him insane with her desires to marry Rin off to Shippo or worse…Kohaku. He'd kill Rin before he handed her over to that boy! Shippo didn't irritate him as much but then again Shippo hadn't ever attempted to kill Rin. Kohaku on the other hand…if Sesshomaru told him 'no' one more time would be dying a slow, painful, agonizing death after all the hell he had put him through. And every time Kohaku had nearly or tried to kill Rin he had just about died in fear at losing and so he'd be damned if he lost her to Kohaku of all the humans in this world.

"Sesshomaru's hidden Rin, again," Kagome sounded disgruntled about that but Inuyasha just looked amused then. Sesshomaru feigned innocence in this matter because he wasn't giving up Rin.

"Good for Rin, she needed the break," Inuyasha informed his mate as he took her by the waist. Sesshomaru knew Inuyasha knew but it was by a complete and total flux that he even knew. It was all by accident that Inuyasha knew but after a few unsavory threats, a few promises, and a few unspoken rules in Inuyasha discovering his little secret.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome argued.

"No, we are not getting involved and you are going to give birth at any moment so…_**STOP RUNNING AROUND OUT OF MY SIGHT!**_" Inuyasha shouted at her.

"You are being ridiculous Inuyasha," Kagome grumbled. Inuyasha shook his head at Sesshomaru as they walked away. Sesshomaru was quick to return to Rin who was sitting up, yawning and stretching. So his human was waking. Sesshomaru just walked up to his Rin, knelt beside her.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she mumbled, he pulled a strand of her hair off her cheek. Rin smiled at him as she sat there sleepily.

"Rin," he replied to her sleepy greeting. This was his, she was his and all he needed to do was get her unmarried to her seventeenth birthday and then she would truly be all his. That was the stupid age he and that old hag of a miko had agreed upon and when Kagome had returned getting her to seventeen unmarried seemed just about impossible.

"My lord, what's wrong?" Rin asked.

"Hn," he replied. There was a sharp pain in his chest suddenly that had him wincing slightly but he ignored it. It was an old wound from Magatsuhi and on occasion it hurt. Much to his irritation the wound never seemed to have healed right.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin repeated, concern laced through her voice when he didn't move. Suddenly his world spun, then went black as he pitched forward. What the hell was this!? But his world dissolved into nothingness then. The pain speared through him, it was so intense and mind shattering he couldn't fight it as it over took him.

* * *

"Sesshomaru-sama! Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin screamed panic over taking her as she shook his shoulder. He was just lying there! He looked like he was in pain but he wouldn't open his eyes! Rin furiously shook her lord's shoulder as Shippo and Inuyasha came racing to her cries.

"Sesshomaru!" she screamed desperately, tears now streaming down her face at the sight of her lord laying there unconscious and in obvious pain.

"Rin! What happened!?" Inuyasha demanded sharply as he came to a stop beside her.

"He just fell!" Rin shouted as she continued shaking his shoulder. Inuyasha stopped, his ears perked forward then he grabbed Sesshomaru's shoulder, rolled him over and before Rin could protest had ripped off her lord's armor and sliced off her lord's kimono.

"That bastard! Why didn't he tell us!?" Inuyasha roared, Rin just slapped her hand over her mouth as she fought back the sobs. His chest was marked with Magatsuhi's demon marks, they were black and spreading from he heart.

"What the hell!" Shippo said as he held her comfortingly.

"Sesshomaru! What the hell!?" Inuyasha growled then he picked up Sesshomaru onto his back and Shippo grabbed her as they ran to the village, Rin had managed to grab Tenseiga and Bakusaiga before following them to Edo village. What was wrong with Lord Sesshomaru!?

* * *

**That's ****all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	14. At A Beginning: Chapter 2

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Destiny:**_ Somebody's preordained future; the apparently predetermined and inevitable series of events that happen to somebody or something…_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Inuyasha was quick to bring Sesshomaru to his hut, not that he really wanted his brother here with his mate but that was all shoved aside as he shouted for Kagome and Kaede. The black… It was spreading from Sesshomaru's heart. Not that it was surprising or anything, Sesshomaru was a black hearted bastard after all but there was something eerie about this and those marks…they looked, familiar, for some reason.

"What is going on…Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed as she hurried over to Sesshomaru's unconscious form. "What did you do!?" Kagome demanded accusingly of him.

"Nothing! Rin was the one with him," Inuyasha looked at Sesshomaru's girl who had gingerly lifted up Sesshomaru's head to place it on her lap as she murmured softly to Sesshomaru while stroking his hair. Inuyasha had never seen anyone touch Sesshomaru, not even Rin but here she was doing it as if it were the most natural thing in the unnatural world. Then again…

He eyed Rin with uncertainty as he looked back at the mark.

"The mark of Magatsuhi!" Kagome breathed as she scrambled away from it. Inuyasha was quick to catch his off balance mate. Rin said nothing as she wrapped Tenseiga in Sesshomaru's right hand then Bakusaiga in his left. Inuyasha wondered what the girl was doing but she was so…strange where Sesshomaru was concerned he didn't know what to think. The growing and spreading mark stilled, still Rin's tears slipped down her cheeks as she just sat ther stroking Sesshomaru's hair.

"Rin? What's going on here?" Kaede asked in a raspy voice as they all watched the mark.

"He never healed," Rin murmured as she bent over to kiss Sesshomaru's brow, Inuyasha tightened his hold on Kagome both in discomfort of seeing Rin treat Sesshomaru so affectionately and in fear the mark could somehow hurt his miko mate.

"What do you mean?" Sango asked as she appeared holding her son and Miroku holding his daughter's hands.

"I mean that the stab to his heart was poisoned!" Rin shouted at them, Inuyasha's ears fell flat against his head then.

"But Sesshomaru's immune to all poisons Rin, he couldn't have been poisoned," Kohaku argued appearing in the hut then. Rin just looked so utterly lost then he fought back the urge to comfort the girl. Though he had agreed to take her in eight years ago he hadn't really ever known what to do with Rin since she was just so…serine around them. She hadn't ever integrated into their pack despite his best efforts because he was rather fond of Rin but there was something about her that she held close to her heart. Something disturbing, something that made her have that connection with his brother.

"He isn't though," Rin mumbled as she looked back at Sesshomaru. "We found out when Kagome returned, he was having pains in his heart and I was curious why. I removed his kimono, and saw the brand, Magatsuhi poisoned my lord. He was sleeping but his eyes snapped open on me when I touched the mark, I asked what happened and he told me. He told me that he wasn't immune to curses; and Magatsuhi had cursed him to be a part of the Shikon no Tama, a force of darkness but so long as he held Tenseiga he could keep the curse manageable. He's been searching for a way to break the curse and cure himself but lately… I didn't know it had gotten this bad."

"Rin," Inuyasha reached for the girl who inhaled sharply.

"I must speak to Tōtōsai," Rin murmured softly as she gently stood away from Sesshomaru. She looked at Inuyasha. "Watch over my lord, I will return," Rin said as she picked up Bakusaiga then.

"Rin! You can't go!" Kohaku grabbed her arm then, she turned to look sadly at them.

"I do not care about me, I care about my lord, now let me go Kohaku," Rin said sadly. Inuyasha had seen that look before, in himself as he had waited for Kagome's return to him. He had seen it in himself all those times he couldn't save her, or was too late, or just about to lose her. He had seen it in himself when Kikyo had died, when he had let her go, when he had given up on her. It was the look he had only seen once in Sesshomaru, and it was a look he knew all too well.

Love.

"Rin, this is crazy! You know he won't care if you save him or not!" Kohaku argued.

"That may be so but it is not of your concern, I owe Sesshomaru-sama my life and if to heal him I must repay my life to him then so be it." Rin looked so forlorn at this moment Inuyasha's heart broke for her. Though there was something strangely hard about gaze then.

"I know he brought your corpse form the underworld but his mother returned your life! You don't owe him anything Rin!"

"You think I owe Sesshomaru-sama nothing? Let go of me Kohaku," Rin yanked herself from Kohaku's grasp. "Inuyasha watch over my lord until he is well again," Rin said as she walked out of the hut. Inuyasha frowned at his brother's lean form laying there. "And make certain Tenseiga stays with my lord at all times."

There was a tone in what Rin had said that made him obligated to do this for her though he was less than thrilled to be watching over his brother. Sesshomaru winced, Miroku knelt down beside him then.

"He doesn't have long if he's been fighting this for eight years, I will take first watch," Miroku declared as he sat beside Sesshomaru. Inuyasha frowned, then again Miroku had been poisoned by Magatsuhi also so perhaps Miroku felt something for what his brother was going through. While all he could wonder about was why Sesshomaru would be so fool as to keep this to himself and to burden Rin with this knowledge…

* * *

The pain was searing, everything in him hurt and everything was on fire. But he had felt peace as slim fingers stroked his hair, her scent surrounded him and then her cool lips were pressed to his brow. It had felt all so familiar and distant that he couldn't remember it.

Rin.

* * *

Rin walked to Kirara who was twinning around her ankles.

"You'll never get to Tōtōsai walking, take Kirara she would love the flight," Rin looked over at the Yōkai Taijiya then.

"Thank you Sango," Rin said coldly then Kirara burst into flames to be a giant sabertooth cat again. "We must hurry, Kirara, the curse might consume Sesshomaru-sama."

The cat growled as she crawled on before they lunged into the sky.

"I will save you Sesshomaru-sama," Rin whispered as she flew into the sky for Tōtōsai's workshop. He'd have the answers, and if he didn't…she'd hack him to pieces with Bakusaiga! She'd find a way to save her lord if it was the last thing she did in this life Sesshomaru-sama had given her!


	15. At A Beginning: Chapter 3

**At A Beginning  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Destiny:** _Somebody's preordained future; the apparently predestined and inevitable series of events that happen to somebody or something…_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Rin stood outside of Tōtōsai's and nearly screamed for the old man to come out here. But didn't because that would be wrong as she clutched her lord's fang to her breast and approached the old swords master's lair. She wasn't scared, she was terrified but not of Tōtōsai, she was terrified of there being nothing they could do for her lord.

"Rin, it's a rare day when Sesshomaru-sama lets you come here without him," Tōtōsai looked her over then faultered. "What's wrong?"

Rin explained, she explained to Tōtōsai how Tenseiga had been sealing Sesshomaru's curse from Magatsuhi and how that curse had begun to spread. The curse was consuming his heart and soon it'd consume him, and there had to be something they could do about this. She just stood there in silence after having explained everything her lord had told her and awaited judgement at this moment. If Tōtōsai did not help her…her fingers tightened on Bakusaiga.

"Relax child, my master told me you'd come one day. He had this commissioned for you, though I don't know what it does." Tōtōsai pulled out a pearl then, Rin just gingerly took the black pearl into her fingers.

"He claimed I'd know when the time came and who to give that too, in truth I thought Inu no Taisho had lost his mind when he had commissioned it then given it to me. I think it was meant for you, though he would never really clarify why it was to be given to 'Sesshomaru's-companion'," Tōtōsai informed her. Rin just looked at the black peal then at Tōtōsai.

"What is it supposed to do?" Rin asked.

"He said you would discover what it would do when you returned to Sesshomaru," Tōtōsai informed her. Rin just looked at the pearl then at Tōtōsai, then back at her pearl. If the old man was tricking her she'd hack him into tiny pieces and feed him to wild yōkai! Carefully she threaded the pearl before slipping it around her neck then walking back to Kirara. This pearl had better be more than a magic pearl because if this thing didn't work the world would have one less devious yōkai sword artesian.

She flew on Kirara's back as she studied the pearl. Just what was it supposed to do? Was her lord supposed to swallow it? Would it have some magical cure for an inu daiyōkai immune to almost all poisons known? They flew over the Bone Eater's Well when Rin screamed. It was as if she had hit an invisible wall, slamming into her she had fallen off of Kirara for the ground. The fall would kill her! Her fingers tightened around the pearl as she hurtled to the ground.

* * *

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

There was a glow, there were some shouts and then there was nothing.

Was this death? Where was the pain? The first time she had died in excruciating pain, silently crying for her lord to save her but he hadn't come. She still had the scars from her first death. Her second death was rather like falling asleep, she remembered screaming in fear then nothing. It was as if she had ceased to exist; rather like this. Rin cracked her eye open then. She was surrounded by the stars, an eerie glow and warmth. She looked around, her black hair floating about her as she descended elsewhere, she opened her fingers to look at the glowing pearl.

Suddenly gravity had her landing, earth materialized beneath her, stones, vines, and darkness from being in a tunnel or something. The cool earth smell tickled her nose as she looked around the…box. Was this the Bone Eater's Well? Rin looked at the grey sky. Perhaps a sudden weather change…

Getting to her feet Rin began pulling herself out of the place she had fallen. Her fingers grabbing chunks of the vines, securing her footing then she'd pull herself up. It was a slow tedious task but one she had to do as she climbed out of the tunnel. Thunder boomed overhead of her, she ignored it as she focused on her task of climbing out of wherever she had fallen. Rin pulled herself out of the well, it was the Bone Eater's Well. Well of course it was, her mind scoffed at her, where else would she have fallen? In the middle of a… forest? Rin blinked as she looked around.

Where was the village?

Where was Edo? Where was everyone?

In recent years the village had expanded and built a nice little shrine around Inuyasha's tree and the Bone Eater's Well but there was nothing here as she sat on the ledge of the well. There was nothing here but the forest. A drop of rain hit her brow, she looked up then quickly pulled herself the rest of the way out of the well before hurrying towards the forest for some shelter before the skies opened up and began weeping.

She carefully slid Bakusaiga in her obi so she didn't have to carry her lord's fang as she walked through the forest. The sky opened up and soon enough rain poured from the sky so that nothing could be dry. Not that Rin really cared as she picked her way through the forest in silence in the general direction of Edo. Growing up with Lord Sesshomaru had given her an excellent sense of direction but at this moment she felt completely and utterly lost as the rain soaked her. She clenched her teeth as she fought off the chill her soaking wet body felt as she walked through the forest. She came to a mountain edge and stared down it. There was a raging river where Edo's peaceful rice fields were.

_**WHERE THE HELL WAS SHE!?**_

The earth moved, she managed a scream before she went toppling down the mountain into the river. The watered dragged her around though she tried to swim it was futile. All she could do was come up, gasp for air before the currents dragged her down again. Her small body disappeared in the dark waters of the river as she disappeared.

* * *

InuTaisho patrolled the forest in the rain when a light scent caught his attention. A human! A human had dared to enter his forest!? His canine lips curled back into a snarl as he prowled foreward. The human would suffer for no human was ever permitted to be in his forest and this human would not be an exception as he followed the light scent through the forest.

This human's scent was not unpleasing, it was rather comforting for it was light and natural like the rain's scent or a field of flowers in spring. Still the scent belonged to a human and humans were not permitted in his forest. He'd find this human and he'd make them pay!

* * *

Izayoi was picking the flowers for her arrangement by the river in the light rain. It was a quiet, peaceful day as she and Setsuna no Takemaru were just relaxing. It had been four days since the heavy rain, and it was a quiet day; even with the light rain at this moment. It was the kind of day she enjoyed because it was so peaceful.

A light moan had her attention focusing on the river bed.

Carefully she picked her way to the river, careful of her footing because one false step and she could be swept away by the river. She slowly approached the sound which had caught her attention, she gasped.

"Takemaru! Help me! This girl!" Izayoi dropped her flowers as she carefully hurried to the muddy girl. Her friend, Takemaru was behind her as they picked the small woman out of the mud with her katana and carried her back to Izayoi's home. Izayoi wondered what happened to the girl; she was all bruised, muddied, and a bit bloodied.

* * *

"Rin," the name left his lips as he sat at his father's estate.

Great Kami how he missed her!

Still he sat here alone and following his alphas orders today. But something was calling for him out there. Sesshomaru was quick to leave his father's home then in search of what was calling him. Damn alpha orders, something more important called for him.


	16. At A Beginning: Chapter 4

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Destiny:**_ Somebody's preordained future; the apparently predetermined and inevitable series of events that happen to somebody or something…_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"Rin!" Inuyasha shouted as he bounded to the Bone Eater's Well, she had just fallen to the earth. He had seen Rin falling for the well and had just about panicked if she died and his brother lived they'd all be dead! But there had been that eerie glow again from the well.

"Rin!" Shippo had charged after him for the girl and they both landed on the ledge of the well to see…

Nothing.

"What the hell!?" Inuyasha leapt down the well looking for where Rin had gone. But her scent just disappeared. This didn't make sense, only Kagome and he had ever been able to pass through the well. But now Rin was gone and it was clear the well had sealed itself again.

"Inuyasha! Where's Rin?" Shippo shouted down at him.

"The well sealed up again Shippo," Inuyasha shouted as he leapt out of the well again. Just as he looked down at the well. This was bad. Where'd she go?

"Watch the well, I'll go talk with Kagome about this," Inuyasha said as he raced off to the village. Something about this all felt set up to him though why was beyond him. It wasn't as if this was predestined or something but it all felt like a set up to him. It was rather like when Kagome had come barreling down that well the first, all of this felt preplanned. But why?

* * *

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"I don't trust her, she's carrying a yōkai sword!" a man's voice said harshly.

"Shush, she is injured and ill, leave her be."

"Lady Izayoi—!"

"Enough, the girl is charged under my care and she is permitted to rest in peace. Leave her katana," the woman's voice was soothing but firm. It rather reminded Rin of her mother's voice but she couldn't rouse enough energy to see who the owner of the voice really was as she lay there sweating in pain and worry. Where was she? Where was her lord?

Izayoi looked at the girl she and Takemaru had brought back with them, she seemed to be so utterly helpless and yet she carried around that sword. It made Izayoi wonder who the young girl was, the child was so weak though she didn't know if there was a way to help the girl at this moment. It was clear the girl was suffering from the coldness illness, but she had a feeling that being dragged down the river wasn't the best way to stay healthy. Still the girl was fighting.

Izayoi draped another blanket over the girl's small now clean form and wondered just what this girl was doing out in this kind of weather.

The girl was rather beautiful, thick heavy black hair, beautiful features, a small frame, pouting lips, and a set of dark brown eyes (Izayoi had seen the girl's eyes when she flittered between consciousness and oblivion). The girl also asked for her lord a lot though she didn't say who her lord was. Izayoi just sat beside the girl as she stroked her hair, the girl was so small, and young it hurt her to think of what could happen to this child if she were to be out in the world alone. When the girl woke Izayoi would offer the girl a home and job so she could stop her wandering. And from the look of the girl's bare feet she had been wandering for a long time, they were calloused and hard from walking around without shoes. Izayoi peered at the girl again. Just who was this child?

* * *

He stood there at the river, which was the border between his lands and the humans. So the prey had slipped back into their lands…

A low growl had his lips curling back so he could express his disgust in this situation. He would no stoop so low as a human and trespass into their territory. But the next time he scented human in his forest there'd be hell to pay. He would not tolerate incorrigible, noisy, nosey, stinking humans in _**his**_ forest! It would not be permitted, there were reasons humans should stay away and stay in their own territory, and he would not tolerate them breaking the unspoken laws of the land.

This would not be tolerated.

* * *

Sesshomaru remained where he was, perched high in his tree as he looked down at the human compound. He didn't know why, he didn't even care why as he felt disgusted with himself for being so drawn towards this human compound. He despised weakness, humans were nothing but weakness and yet here he was staring down at the compound feeling it was his duty to watch over it until she was better.

Not that he knew who she was…

Strange, he thought as he sat in the tree looking down at the compound. He didn't even know why he was really here but he couldn't seem to leave. It was as if whoever was down there demanded his protection for some reason. Though why was beyond him because he loathed humans, he loathed being here, and he loathed not knowing why he was here.

Perhaps tonight he would investigate further as to why he was here. Because he had no idea why he was here at this moment. Still, he was a curious creature and even if he was not expressing his curiosity he was most curious as to why he was here.

* * *

Rin lay there in pain, her whole body was aching as she tried to breath, it was so difficult at this moment because everything within her felt as if it were on fire. Help Sesshomaru-sama! Her mind pleaded because he always helped her even when she was sick, injured, or dying. The mark on her burned, he must be close, though why was he close? He was in Kaede's hut injured…

Why did her mark burn from his nearness?

She cracked her eyes open to the silver moonlight and a set of brilliant amber eyes peering down at her with the utmost curiosity filling them. True they were still cold, and expressionless but years of traveling with her lord had given her the ability to see beneath his expressionless façade.

"My lord, I'm sorry," Rin breathed. He said nothing, then again he could've but she'd have never known as oblivion over took her again. Her body went back to war to stay alive. She must not fail her lord! But he was here for the moment and she liked that, even if it were only an illusion or trick of her mind. Rin curled towards her Sesshomaru as she fought back her illness.

* * *

Her lord? Who the hell was this girl!?

Sesshomaru looked the tattered human over, he had never seen her before!


	17. At A Beginning: Chapter 5

**Just One Yesterday**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Destiny:**_ somebody's preordained future; the apparently predetermined and inevitable series of events that happen to somebody or something…_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin woke to a searing pain in her ribs but looked groggily around the room. Just where the hell was she? The room was far too nice to be Kaede's hut, and it most certainly was not her hut. It looked like a place her lord would be living if he wasn't such a nomad. The wood was polished fine, the room was grand enough for a noble lady or a princess. Rin just slowly sat up in the moonlight when amber caught her eye.

She blinked.

It was gone.

"Bakusagia!" Rin breathed as she looked frantically around where she had been sleeping in search of the katana from her lord. It had to be here! She could not have lost Bakusagia, Rin looked around frantically then spotted it resting against the wall. Carefully she pulled herself to her feet. She was careful about moving as she staggered to her lord's fang then she collapsed near it. It was here, the relief which swamped her had her all but hugging the fang as she curled around it as she lay there on the floor. The fang was alright.

Her eyes shut again as she let sleep consume her again.

Now one would think sleeping on the floor to be uncomfortable but after all her travels with her lord she had learned a floor could be the most comfortable place to sleep. As oppose to a cave floor which was very uncomfortable. Rin just smiled at the old memories as she hugged Bakusagia to her. The pain in her heart never subsided as she lay there, she was lost and her lord dying. She was failing him…

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted frantically, the mark was stopped but it was blackening as he lay there, Rin needed to hurry but as Inuyasha came bounding towards her without Rin Kagome's heart stopped.

She had found out after she had come back to this era to be with Inuyasha what had happened to Rin, how Kaede had taken her in to learn to be human. It was also in the middle of the nights when Rin screamed for Sesshomaru to save her that she had learned the truth about Rin's past. Kagome's heart bled for the girl but at the same time Rin had become a little sister to her. Kagome did not approve of her younger 'sister' being with Sesshomaru so much because Sesshomaru was not the safest of creatures to be around. Still she hadn't out right gone about severing their connection, instead she had subtly or blatantly shoved Rin into a safer direction with Kohaku or Shippo as a way to keep her here. It wasn't as if Sesshomaru had marked Rin! She was too young for him, and practically his daughter! Still they had that unusual bond…

Rin and Sesshomaru's bond was unusual but also unbelievably strong. Kagome and Rin had been trapped in a cave with a yōkai trying to devour her spiritual power, Rin had screamed for Sesshomaru and though Kagome knew Sesshomaru was nowhere near them he had come. The bond between Rin and Sesshomaru was incrediable and terrifying to Kagome. But at this moment, as Sesshomaru lay there dying from Magatsuhi's old poison she was certain it was that bond between them which would save him. Still, Inuyasha was alone as he raced towards her.

"Inuyasha! Where is Rin!?" Kagome demanded as she rested her hand on the small of her aching back. Her mate grabbed her into his arms as he began running again, she just yelped as she hung onto him.

"The Bone Eater's Well took her!" Inuyasha shouted at her as they ran. _**What!?**_

* * *

Sesshomaru lay there in unimaginable pain but he ignored it all as he lay there. He would not be laying here if it was his choice, he would be sitting alert as he watched over himself as he always did but he could not do that at the moment. The curse had caught him off guard when he had forgotten to take Tenseiga with him to lead Kagome away from his sleeping Rin. It hadn't really occurred to him to carry the fang with him but all the same he had wandered away and the curse had over taken him. Now he lay here with Tenseiga again sealing his curse as he fought it back.

"_Rest my lord, I shall watch over you," a melodic voice murmured to him._

Sesshomaru twitched from the voice of a memory he had long since forgotten. What was the meaning of this!? Old memories should stay away and stay gone. Still there was something comforting to him in the memory as he lay there fighting his curse. He'd let the voice watch over him, she'd never fail him. She never had failed him.

* * *

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Izayoi walked into her guest's room the next morning and blinked for the girl was not on her futon, she was sleeping in the corner curled around that katana. Izayoi sighed, in all her nineteen years she had never seen an ill person purposely leave the warmth of a bed for a sword! Of all the things! Walking over to the girl she tried to pry the katana from the girl's fingers.

Pain lanced through her fingertips, paralyzing her in fear as she stumbled back from the katana. That had hurt! She just sat there staring at the girl as she cracked her eyes open. How was it the girl could touch the katana and when she had tried to just then she had just about passed out from the overwhelming, all consuming, and incomprehensible pain from merely touching it? Izayoi blinked at the girl who was now looking at her with wide dark brown eyes. Neither woman said anything as they sat there, Izayoi thought the situation was odd.

"Who are you?" the girl's soft sweet voice rasped.

"Lady Izayoi," she replied, the girl's eyes widened then.

"Where am I?" the girl whispered hoarsely.

"You are at my fiancé's home, Setsuna no Takemaru," Izayoi informed the girl and the girl seemed to tighten her hold on that strange white katana. "Now, who are you child?"

"I am not a child," the girl growled out softly. "I am my lord's Rin."

"And who is your lord?"

"He's my lord," Rin answered before her eyes drifted shut and she was unconscious again. Izayoi sighed as she got to her feet, checking the girl over with care so as not to disturb her or touch that katana she was pleased to discover there were no serious injuries with the girl. Though the old scars she saw had her concerned, this child had been through hell, just look at all these scars. It broke her heart as she carefully pulled Rin back to the futon, though she was careful not to touch the katana again.

Rin, Izayoi looked back at the girl. Such an odd child, she could not be more than thirteen years old and yet she said she was no child. Izayoi closed the room then, it was of none of her concern until the child healed. Then she'd want to know more about this Rin girl. Just who was her lord?

* * *

InuTaisho walked to his home feeling disgruntaled knowing the human had escaped and was startled to see his son lounging lazily in a tree.

"Sesshomaru," InuTaisho snapped at his son who looked down at him.

"Where have you been?"

Sesshomaru shrugged then leapt from the tree into the forest, InuTaisho shook his head.

He'd never understand his wandering son! But InuTaisho made a mental not to practice swordsmanship with his son before the day was up. Sesshomaru was becoming a fine swordsman and InuTaisho had a feeling one day Sesshomaru would be able to best even him. But until that day came InuTaisho would attempt to teach Sesshomaru what it meant to be just, fair, respected, and feared. All were important but it was also to be loved, but InuTaisho did not think there was a creature in this world capable of loving Sesshomaru.


	18. At A Beginning: Chapter 6

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Fate:**_ Force predetermine events; the force or principle believed to predetermine events_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin woke for the first time for real this morning as she looked around holding Bakusagia in her hands when a slim, elegant, tall woman walked into the room. She stared up at the woman who walked in, the woman was so beautiful, Rin felt like a shabby peasant then. But then she could always feel like that when she was sitting beside her lord because she was human. Still this was the first time in her life where she had felt shabby compared to a human. There was something so elegant and ethereal about the woman, something most humans did not possess.

"You're awake!" the woman exclaimed, Rin just blinked at the woman in confussion.

"How long have I been asleep?" Rin asked as she inched away from the woman. There was just something so perfect about this woman, and vaguely familiar about her, that Rin didn't want to smudge her.

"Five days, you had me worried for a long time. You kept leaving the bed," the woman smiled kindly then as if she was musing over something funny.

"I don't sleep on beds," Rin said coldly. It was one of the hardest adjustments for her when she had joined Inuyasha's group, they liked beds and huts, she liked neither because they made her think of that night. It had been a brutal night, and after that night she had always slept in a corner on the floor if she were in a hut or sleep beneath her lord's watchful eye under the stars or curled up on Sesshomaru's mokomoko. She just could never seem to accept beds or huts as safe places to be, especially after that night.

"Oh, I though your lord would give you a bed to sleep on…"

"My lord provides everything I should need, I do not like beds or huts, I would like to leave now. I must return to my lord," Rin carefully stood, pain shot up through her body from her ankle which had her collapsing back onto the floor holding Bakusagia.

"Careful!" the woman hurried over to her, Rin noted the way the woman avoided touching Bakusagia. "You took a nasty trip down the river from wherever you came from."

"The well," Rin murmured as it all came back to her, she was dragged down the well but the well itself. Rin just stared at the woman dumbly, she did not even know where she was or what had happened. Edo was missing, she remembered that, she also remembered flying down the ledge into the river and being dragged through the heavy cold water. Then there was nothing. Rin just stared at the woman.

"What well?"

"Where am I?" Rin asked as she tried to wrap her head around what had happened to her. She had seen Inuyasha and Kagome disappear down the well after the battle with Naraku but according to Sango, Miroku and Shippo they were the only ones able to travel through the well. Apparently Kagome was from a different time period and the well was how she traveled to visit Inuyasha. No one else was supposed to be able to use the well! But it had pulled her…

"You are at my fiancé's home, Setsuna no Takemaru," the woman informed her. Rin felt herself flinch involuntarily at the name of one of the many men who had tried to kill her. But Sesshomaru would never let Takemaru hurt her again, still Rin did not think this woman knew what a madman Setsuna no Takemaru really was; Rin had a feeling that was because she had done what Kagome used to do all the time. She had traveled through time. The only problem was what time was she in?

"And you are?" Rin asked.

"I am Lady Izayoi," the woman answered. Rin's heart plummeted then, she had gone back in time.

* * *

Perched outside of the keep where the girl who called to him was where he was. Sesshomaru just stared down out at the fort this human had built for himself, the human girl was in there. For some reason he couldn't leave the woman alone. It was difficult for him to leave her but he forced himself to leave her for some reason. He hated humans, he hated weak creatures and he absolutely loathed feeling like he needed someone, and for some reason he felt he needed that human woman in that fort. It was not something he liked feeling, needing things was not something he liked. But for some reason he needed that human there.

Sesshomaru silently crept through the trees to a view of where the girl was. She was sitting on the porch staring out at the garden. The human was small, her hair was black, her eyes were a piercing dark brown, and her face was not unpleasant to look at; she was sitting with a white sheathed katana resting against her shoulder as she let her feet dangle over the edge of the porch she was perched on. But why did he want to be around this human? Her dark gaze looked directly at him, piercing him as she stared at where he was hiding. He knew the girl could not see him for he was too far for her human gaze too see but she was looking directly at him as if he were standing before her.

"Sesshomaru-sama," her sweet voice whispered.

Who the hell was this human!?

Sesshomaru was quick to race through the trees back to his home before his father noted his absence. He'd be back tonight to watch over the girl, for now she was safe and for some reason it was imperative that she be safe to him. It was confounding to him since he did not know this girl, he had never seen her before! And yet… there was something about her that drew him to her, it was as if she were already his in some way. But he refused to take her and demand answers from her.

He had to be around her.

* * *

Izayoi walked out to Rin who was just sitting quietly, watching the scenery. Rin seemed to be a little lost, a little sad and a little lonely as she sat there with the white katana alone in the light rain. Carefully, Izayoi sat beside the girl who she felt drawn to for some reason, there was something about Rin that had her drawn in and wanting to comfort the girl.

"You are healing well," Izayoi commented.

"Yes, thank you for taking me in," Rin replied.

"Do you have nowhere to go?" There was something about this girl that had Izayoi wanting to defend her, to keep her safe and protected. It was as if Rin had suffered from more than just wolves attacking her; and yes, she had seen the old scars on Rin's body. They were brutal and whatever had happened to her had been horrific, but there was something independent and strong about this girl. Izayoi wished she could be brave like Rin was, but she wasn't. It was because she was scared that she was going to marry Setsuna no Takemaru though she could not see her childhood friend as anything more than a friend. But she had to save her family from financial ruin. Rin though, Rin seemed free and strong and independent despite having a lord she talked about.

"No, but I must find my lord, I gave him my word I would save him, and I shall. One way or another," Rin said honestly and with a conviction Izayoi did not think any woman had ever expressed to her.

"You must love your lord very much," Izayoi murmured softly. She wished she loved Takemaru the way Rin did her lord, but she did not.

"I love him very much, he saved me, he protected me, and he cares about me, no one ever cared about me after my family was slaughtered, but he did. I shall save him if it costs me life," Rin informed her seriously.

"He's very lucky to have a loyal follower like you, is that his sword?"

"Yes, it is my lord's most prized possession," Rin said with a smile as she lovingly looked at the katana. Izayoi just smiled a bit at the love she saw in Rin's eyes.

"I would think a lord's most prized possession is his lady," Izayoi teased.

"Oh no, I could never be his lady, I am not worthy of him." Rin looked so serious about this it was almost comical if Izayoi hadn't heard the graveness in Rin's voice. Both women sat there in silence listening to the drizzling rain.

* * *

InuTaisho just perched himself in a tree overlooking the river awaiting that flee to arrive now. He wanted to know where the human who had dared to trespass in his forest was. But he would not break the unspoken treaty between himself and the humans, he'd send Myōga to do that. The flee had to be useful for something other than running away and it wasn't as if he could get in much trouble with humans. He was a flee after all and not likely to be noticed by humans.

A sharp prick of a pain pinched his cheek, InuTaisho slapped it to pull his hand away to look at Myōga.

"Master," the flee gurgled out as he flitted on his hand. InuTaisho frowned.

"Myōga, I want you to go into human territory and find this human," InuTaisho lifted up a bit of silk then. It was purple silk, and very fine as if it were a gift but it was coated with the human's sweet, fresh scent and he wanted to know where this human was. Mostly so he knew who to punish for daring to break the silent treaty.

"Yes master," the flee leapt away with the silk and InuTaisho stared out at the human territory, just where was that human hiding.

"Father," he turned to look at his son Sesshomaru who walked up beside him then.

"Sesshomaru," he greeted before they ran on patrol of the forest. It was his forest to protect, his lands to guard, and his followers to reassure of his strength. As he ran with Sesshomaru in their true forms he was most impressed with how quick his heir was. Sesshomaru would be a great leader one day.


	19. At A Beginning: Chapter 7

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Fate:**_ Force predetermine events; the force or principle believed to predetermine events_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

She crept through the garden as she tried to elude Izayoi and Takemaru because Kami knew she needed to leave, she needed to return to the well and return to _**HER**_ Sesshomaru-sama because the one here was not the one who was here was not the one who cared about her. Still she loved Sesshomaru, no matter which one was the one she was with. Sesshomaru was Sesshomaru and that's what made him special and the creature she loved unconditionally. And if she ran into this Sesshomaru…there could be consequences from their meeting. Kagome had told her that once her greatest worry was destroying time until she figured out it was all fated, she was supposed to be with Inuyasha no matter what. But Rin knew she did not belong here, she did not belong with Sesshomaru.

She belonged with her time, with her Sesshomaru, and she belonged to her Sesshomaru.

She did not belong here with Izayoi or Setsuna no Takemaru (who had tried to kill her when she was a child because she reminded him of Izayoi, because she loved an inu daiyōkai). She did not belong here! There were things to happen that she did not understand but would lead to Inuyasha's birth, to Sesshomaru's course of life. So here she was silently climbing the prison wall. It was a good thing her lord had never dampened her natural thievory skills, she could just slip away as if she never existed. She bested Sango and Kohaku at disappearing and she never really tried, she had even sneaked up on a few ninja girls a few years back who had come to visit Sango, and she was good at disappearing from Inuyasha's nose. And his nose was difficult for her to thwart.

"Where are you going?" Rin winced at the accusing feminine voice. So this was where Inuyasha's impeccable timing came, she guessed thwarting Izayoi would be more difficult than thwarting her hanyō son. Rin looked over her shoulder at Izayoi who was glaring accusingly at her.

"I am going to figure out where I am," Rin smiled slightly as she lied because it was a blatant lie.

"And the katana?"

"It's my lord's I would never leave it behind," Rin replied truthfully. She was about as likely to leave her lord's fang behind as she was to purposely go running to her lord in this time. To turn to Sesshomaru in this time would not be a good idea because she knew of her lord's hatred, absolute hatred of humans. If she were to meet her lord in this time then she'd likely be killed, merely for being her human self. His hatred of human would be intensified when his father came for Izayoi and Rin did not want to be around when that happened. She needed to leave, she did not belong here because she knew what was to happen.

"Rin, you are in no condition to leave," Izayoi persisted.

"I am leaving, I do not belong here Lady Izayoi," Rin said softly as she dropped from the wall to walk up to the woman. The elder looked so sad. "I have faithfully served and followed my lord since I was eight years old, and I still follow him faithfully but because I follow and serve him I do not belong here. I belong with him, and right now he needs me."

"Rin, if you do not find a way back to your lord, you are welcomed back here. I would be happy to have a strong, honest girl such as yourself around for company." Izayoi looked sadly at her then.

"If I cannot find a way back to my lord I will return," Rin promised as she turned to climb up the wall.

"Where did you learn to do that, no lord's lady should know how to climb?" Izayoi was smiling up at her as Rin sat on the ledge of the wall.

"I am no lord's lady, I am merely my lord's Rin," she smiled before falling lightly to the ground and making her way in the direction of the river. No doubt the river would be an excellent starting point.

* * *

Searching for A human, one particular human! What had his life resorted too? Again he inhaled the sweet fresh, vaguely familiar scent from the scrape of purple silk his master had given him as he surveilled the human territory he was in. Just why did InuTaisho want this human? Was it so important to find this human? Who's scent was that of the forest? This particular human seemed to be the center of Inu no Taisho's attention as Myōga resumed his jumping around trying to follow this human's scent.

It was difficult to do! The scent was almost…translucent and the scent of the bit of blood while sweet seemed to be concealed for some reason. It was almost as if this human was purposely hiding the fact they were human, which no sane human would do because to do so meant you'd have to be an outsider of the humans too. Humans were such odd troublesome creatures.

Still his master wanted this human so this human Myōga would find.

* * *

Rin stared at the raging river Izayoi had said she had been found in and wondered how to get across for there was clearly no bridge across and she did not think she could swim across. But she had to return. Rin tied Bakusaiga to herself securely, pulled her heavy, tangled black hair back again then waded into the water, the current was strong but Rin was determined as she dove into the cold waters. Swimming beneath the surface would completely wash her scent away. Which would hopefully hid her from her lord, though it wasn't a guarantee.

Hiding from her lord was never something she had excelled at and it was not something she was in the habit of doing because it felt…

Wrong.

Her lord was not the one she ever needed to hide from.

Long ago, shortly after her lord had taken her in; she had been captured by bandits. Now back then she had been a mute and meeting bandits truly terrified her (as they still did). Sadly she had stolen from those bandits by mistake, taking a bit of food when she was caught. Never had a sound left her lips as she was beaten to the point of being unable to walk. It had been her lord who had found her, he had been infuriated enough to slaughter all the bandits before carrying her away to the nearest hotspring. He had helped her clean up, completely, she had received her first true bath since her mother had died. But her lord had done something most unexpected.

'_What is your name?_'_ he had asked. She had not answered for she could not remember her name, she did not want to remember her name! So she had shook her head._

_'Would you mind if I called you Rin?' he had asked, she had smiled at him. Rin would be a pretty name! She liked it, and it would give her a name since hers' was long since forgotten by all, including her._

_'I will protect you Rin,' he had whispered it softly before he sank his teeth into the nape of her neck. No explanation, no reasoning for the bit but he had sealed it himself._

_'Now I shall always know you are mine,' he had murmured more to himself than to her though._

To this day Rin had no idea what the mark meant but it had never faded, it was easily hidden with her hair or the collar of her kimonos; though it seemed to displease him for her to hide it. In truth it had sort of turned into a slim crescent moon, much like the mark in the center of her lord's forehead but she had no idea what it meant for he had only told her it was his way of protecting her. He had never elaborated on what it meant.

Rin came up for a gasp of air before submerging again to swim through the heavy, clear waters which were probably not hiding her swimming but was washing her scent away; which would be enough for now. Getting out of the river Rin pulled herself up the banks and to her feet, she pulled Bakusaiga from her sling and slid it into her obi before walking up to the forest. She had to returned to where she belonged, and that was before her lord found her in this time period, he'd probably shred her alive if he could because she was a human bearing a mark he had given her in the future. Not that she understood what the mark meant but it was something her lord seemed to care deeply about.

* * *

"Master! Master!" InuTaisho looked down when the flea appeared on his shoulder.

"Leave us Sesshomaru," InuTaisho ordered. His son said nothing before he disappeared in a ball of energy. InuTaisho looked down at the flea then.

"Myōga, where is that human?"

"I lost the human, but I discovered what was left of her kimono at a fort in the south, there is a woman there who could fit into the kimono, she could be the trespasser but I do not no master," Myōga informed her.

"Myōga!" InuTaisho growled out at the flea, the flea flinch.

"Well, I didn't-I didn't taste her blood to know for certain…" the flea said. InuTaisho growled threateningly. The flea fled then. So it appeared he'd have to investigate this matter himself. This was not something he wanted to do, InuTaisho's lip curled then in a snarl. He hated humans…

The scent waffed through the air then, that sweet almost transparent scent which had been on that scrape of purple silk he had found on the ledge. A cold smile pulled on his lips when he lunged into the forest. Racing through the trees in silence he came upon the small form of a girl. He was swift as he launched himself at the girl. His claws gripped her slim throat but a blade pressed against his stomach then, he glanced down at the sleek, too large blade the girl was pressing against his stomach.

"Do you think that blade can hurt me? Human." He asked coldly while glaring into brown eyes.


	20. At A Beginning: Chapter 8

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Fate:**_ Force predetermined events; the force or principle believed to predetermine events_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Gasping for air Rin focused on keeping Bakusaigha on her captor's gut. But the claws gripping her neck were killing her as she dangled against the tree.

"Do you think that blade can hurt me? Human." He asked coldly, his amber eyes pierced her. So this was where her lord's gaze had come from, Rin gasped for air then smirked.

"It can….it will…defend me," Rin spat out as she gasped for breath. She watched as InuTaisho's conviction wavered for a moment. His eyes now assessed Bakusaiga as it was, a new threat and one his son had taught her to wield well. Her lips curved into a smirk before he dropped her, she collapsed to the ground as she coughed for air and her fingers rubbed her throat.

"You dare to come into my forest?" InuTaisho growled out as he grabbed her chin. "You trespass and then you threaten me? You are a strange human indeed."

Rin gnashed her teeth at his fingers as she yanked herself from his grasp. InuTaisho smirked the as she glared up at him, he was worse than Takemaru. But she would not breath a word of what was to come, if she did then life as she knew it could be altered. And she could not risk not being with her lord.

"You are a feisty human," InuTaisho mused darkly as he stood over her.

"My lord would tolerate nothing less," Rin spat out as she shakily got to her feet her hand still gripping Bakusaiga. Her eye caught sight of that sword, there was a shiver of fear glancing through her but she hid it within herself then. It was not necessary to be fearful of the sword, so long as she was not fighting it. If she had to defend herself against Sō'unga then she'd have to die because InuTaisho must never know what was to come, neither could Sesshomaru.

"And who is this lord of yours', human?" InuTaisho asked with great interest. Rin smothered her smile then, so this was where her lord's curiosity came from. Not surprising to her, though her lord was not as expressive as InuTaisho was. Sesshomaru hid his emotions, InuTaisho was not hiding his emotions but he still struck her as dangerous.

"He is my lord," Rin replied tartly. InuTaisho's lips curled up into a feral smile as she assessed him. He was handsome, but she'd expect nothing less for if his sons were to be used as examples of splendor then their father would have to be just as handsome. Still she was partial to Sesshomaru, after all she was Sesshomaru's Rin and though InuTaisho was handsome he was slightly roguish in her opinion.

"You are an interesting human," InuTaisho said, Rin did not sheath Bakusaiga then as she held it. InuTaisho eyed her lord's fang then with interest.

"That is a beautiful piece of work," he reached to touch it when Bakusaiga's barrier reacted to InuTaisho almost electrocuting him.

"Master!" she heard the high pitched voice coming towards them. Sheathing Bakusaiga she ran into the forest in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well. Her feet silently carried her through the forest as she hunted up a place to hide from InuTaisho, he must not find out what she knew about what was to be. People who knew their fates tried their hardest to fight them and Kami knew certain things had to happen for her life to be as it was because that's what was destined.

Quickly she fell down to her knees as she slid down the hill in the mud, she rolled to her feet, glared up the ridge at where she had come from before disappearing into the brush, it was truly for the best that the silk kimono Lady Izayoi had given her was now ruined with plant stains and mud. Rin knew both would hide her physical form and scent as she raced into the forest searching for the well. She needed to find it, she needed to go home.

Silver caught her eye, her heart raced in thrill as she smiled and disappeared again.

* * *

Sesshomaru smiled to himself as he watched the girl run into the brush, but she couldn't escape. He never lost his prey and this girl would be no different! Lunging after her he transformed into his true form as he tore after her into the forest. She had dared to hurt his father so she would suffer the punishment but for now…

He'd have some fun and chase the girl.

Her scent was translucent but he liked it as he inhaled with delight while chasing her. There was something calling him to her for some reason, he couldn't stay away as he chased after her. This was fun!

He didn't know why it was fun though as he heard the girl giggle lightly, he growled as he continued the chase.

* * *

InuTaisho got to his feet then snarled in fury as he tore after the human again. The bitch had hurt him! No one had hurt him! No one could hurt him! But when he had reached for that mysterious white katana it had just about doubled him over in pain as fury, possessiveness, and protective instincts coursed through him. No doubt that blade of hers' was an inuyōkai fang, and she was obviously the mate of a powerful daiyōkai if the fang could hurt him. But who!?

There weren't many with the audacity to mate a human when he, himself, had declared that an abomination. But still there was something powerful about that human! And he wanted to capture her, he had to know who was more powerful than he for that fang to be able to hurt him. When he caught her he'd get the answers he'd want, and he'd find her mark. The seal would tell him who's mate she was, he knew all the eligible daiyōkai seals so he'd know who this girl belonged to. But first he'd have to find her. InuTaisho heard his son's growls through the forest and followed them, he'd captured this human and he'd thwart her mate to take that fang for himself.

* * *

Izayoi worried as she stared out at the mountains when she heard thunderous howling.

Rin.

She hoped the odd girl was alright, Rin seemed to be such a willow creature. There was a deep saddness at her core but there was a strength and happiness Izayoi wished she had in herself.

"What has the yōkai stirred up?" a maid asked, Izayoi didn't voice that it was probably Rin who was riling them up at this moment.

"Some poor human they'll devour no doubt," her fiancé supplied. Izayoi frowned before walking into her garden to get away from Takemaru, though she had grown up with him she had never loved him the way a woman loved a man. But she knew he loved her the way a man loved a woman, she could see it in his eyes. The look of lust.

Izayoi began fretting over Rin then, just what was Rin doing now?

* * *

"Catch me if you can, my lord," Rin whispered softly as she stood across from Sesshomaru in the meadow with the Bone Eater's Well between them. Her lord's lips pulled back to reveal his sharp fangs dripping with poison, she smiled then as well as she made the first move and ran for the well.

He came barreling at her with his jaws open, she leapt, he lunged at her.

There was a blinding light before there was nothing.


	21. At A Beginning: Chapter 9

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Fate:**_ Force predetermined events; the force or principle believed to predetermine events_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Shippo felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu as he sat there waiting for something, anything to happen at the Bone Eater's Well. How was it Rin had passed through the well when no one besides Kagome or Inuyasha ever had?

Something about this seemed different though as he again peeked into the well looking for his friend. Shippo was fond of Rin, she was tough, happy, and despite her deep sorrows of her past she was strong. Though he had found it odd her life often times revolved around Sesshomaru, what had that jerk ever done to deserve the love and loyalty Rin gave him?

"Is she back yet?" Shippo glanced over at Kohaku, who was his rival in a sense. Both of them fought for Rin's attentions and affections but it seemed to be to no avail for the girl would not notice them. She seemed to only see Sesshomaru; which irritated Shippo to no end though Kohaku insisted that that was the norm and had been since she had been a child. Shippo just didn't understand it, Sesshomaru was such a coldhearted bastard who cared about no one so why did he get all of Rin's affections? Sesshomaru didn't even seem to acknowledge her affections or her love for him. In fact he was totally indifferent to her, but he had all of Rin's love and it was irritating to Shippo since she wasn't loved by the asshole.

"No," Shippo replied to Kohaku who squatted beside him.

"Wonder where she went," Kohaku muttered absently.

"I just want her back," Shippo admitted. He missed Rin, and where ever she had gone to was sealed within the well because she had obviously time traveled like Kagome.

"What do you think will happen to Sesshomaru?" Kohaku asked as he sat beside Shippo. Honestly Shippo had no idea what would happen to Sesshomaru, personally he wanted Sesshomaru gone so he could steal Rin's heart for himself. But that's what he wanted.

"Dunno," Shippo shrugged as he continued watching the well. Sesshomaru did not deserve Rin, he was the one not worthy of Rin but he knew that if he said as much aloud Rin would beat him up. She could too because she had been trained by Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, he had witnessed her beat up Koga when Koga had laughed at Sesshomaru being the new Inu no Taisho. Koga had limped away from that fight.

* * *

Though it was petty Kohaku hoped Sesshomaru perished before Rin returned because then perhaps Rin would notice him. But at the moment he was just sitting there with his rival awaiting her return because if her lord perished now and she returned she'd be devastated and in need of comfort. He'd be her shoulder to cry on and then he'd woo her to him. True Kohaku liked Sesshomaru, he even owed Sesshomaru his life but he wanted Rin more than he liked and respected Sesshomaru.

As a child Rin had been absently kind to him; even after he had tried to kill her when he was under Naraku's influence. But the way she treated him was absent, even when he managed to entice her into a game of some assort she'd just _**HAVE**_ to go invite Sesshomaru. To his irritation and Sesshomaru would watch over her even if he was not playing in the games. Sesshomaru was the unwanted member of Kohaku's life, he loved Rin, he liked Master Jaken, and he enjoyed A-Un but he hated Sesshomaru with a fiery passion because he had all of Rin's attentions. And for some reason Sesshomaru did not mind having all of Rin's attentions though Kohaku doubted Sesshomaru reciprocated any of what Rin felt for him.

"I wonder if she'll return," Kohaku admitted as he stared at the well. His red companion said nothing for there was really nothing to say.

Damn Sesshomaru, Kohaku thought, all of this was likely his fault because Rin loved him so absolutely and blindly. The bastard should suffer if anything happened to Rin…

* * *

"How's he holding up?" Inuyasha asked as he walked in.

"He's holding up, the marks are receding again," Kagome admitted. Though their shrinking was minimal they were shrinking and fading again as. To her it was as if Sesshomaru's sheer will was making them disappear but as she glanced up at Miroku she knew it'd be possible that this would all end poorly. It had taken breaking Miroku's curse for him to be cured, but he still had the scars from the poison of Magatsuhi.

"That's good," Inuyasha grumbled as he flopped down beside her.

"But I worry about when he wakes and Rin is missing with Bakusaiga," Kagome murmured to her mate. She was also worried if Rin missed her birthing because Rin was to be her midwife, all the women in the village liked having Rin as their midwife because Rin was calm, cool, composed, collected and strong; she had physically kicked out husbands and mates alike during a birth when the men were losing it. Rin was a good midwife, she had delivered Sango's twins, her three sons and would deliver Sango's fourth child too. Kagome was nervous about not having Rin here for her birthing because this pup was Kagome's first and Kagome would admit to being terrified.

"Rin will be fine, so long as Sesshomaru doesn't find out she'd missing," Inuyasha assured her as his claws rested on her huge bump. She was due any day now and of course Rin had to go missing now, Kagome was terrified of something going wrong because this wasn't like the modern world with their doctors, she was in Edo with Kaede and Rin as her midwives and if something went wrong then she could die.

"Kagome, she'll be back, Rin always comes back to Sesshomaru," Inuyasha assured her again.

* * *

Inuyasha knew Kagome was scared of her impending birth but everything would be fine. He was more concerned about where Rin went, the well had taken her so where had it taken her? If anything happened to Rin and Sesshomaru found out then they'd all die a painful death no doubt, he had seen what happened to Ungai and his followers acolytes when they had tried to take Rin, he had witnessed Sesshomaru's battle against Setsuna no Takemaru for having tried to kill Rin and he had even seen Sesshomaru destroy Naraku's body for having taken Rin. The thing they needed to fear was if Sesshomaru woke and Rin was not here and they told him she was taken by the well.

He knew from personal expeirence that to lose a mate; even if only temporarily was painful. But since the time Rin had been eight she had been Sesshomaru's mate so Inuyasha did not know how his brother would react to his innocent mate missing. Inuyasha didn't even think Rin knew she was Sesshomaru's mate, but he had seen the mark on the child's body shortly after Kaede taking her in and knew what she was then.

* * *

_Catch me if you can, my lord, the girl murmured softly as the wind danced around them, the grass swayed and that strange well was between them. He'd catch her, he always caught her._

Sesshomaru frowned at the old memory of the mystery girl who had haunted his dreams from his youth to now. She did not matter to him and yet she was showing up here in his head when he did not want her in his head. But for some reason it seemed imperative that he remember her, something about her clawed at his heart, something about the girl mattered.

But what?


	22. At A Beginning: Chapter 10

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do** **Not Own Inuyasha**_**  
**_

* * *

**Fate:**_ Force predetermined events; the force and principle believed to predetermine events_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

She peeked over the edge of the well, her heart hammering away as she did so. Kami help her, please don't let her be stuck in InuTaisho's time, please let her be home! Cautiously Rin peeked over the edge of the well prepared to fall down it again if that giant white dog was there waiting to kill her. But there…a set of green and a set of brown eyes watching the well when she came up. Rin blinked, they blinked at her.

"Shippo? Kohaku?" Rin whispered uncertainly.

"Rin!" Shippo leapt at her and before she knew what was happening she was out of the well and wrapped up in a set of strong arms.

"I'm back, where's Sesshomaru!?" Rin shoved herself away from Shippo as she tried to run to the village where Inuyasha had probably taken Sesshomaru. The mark her lord had given her was a seering burn at the moment, an almost blinding, fiery pain which would've made her scream and writhe in agony but she had to get to her lord! She blindly ran to the village, she stumbled a bit but she made it to the edge where she could see Inuyasha's hut. Inuyasha was sitting guard when he noticed her, Rin carefully made her way to him. She was only careful because she was likely to trip and fall if she ran down this ridge to Inuyasha.

"Where is he?" Rin asked softly.

"Inside, where were you?" Inuyasha quietly.

"I was lost," Rin murmured as she walked into Inuyasha's hut. Kagome was sitting over her lord, who was so still it was unnerving to her. Granted he was rarely active but he was never this still.

"How is he?" Rin asked as she knelt beside him.

"He is weak at the moment, but the mark is receding a bit," Kagome admitted. Rin just sat there looking at her lord who's magenta lids never opened. To her it was strange to see him like this for he rarely slept, and he rarely rested like this so it was strange to be sitting here with him letting people; humans no less; touch him.

"I need to speak to Tōtōsai, again, the bastard tricked me," Rin grumbled as she looked at Kagome then. "May I be alone for a moment?"

"Yes, Rin, you should know I do not think Sesshomaru has much time left. I think he would like it if you were here with him rather than running around without him," Kagome informed her. Rin just nodded as she sat with him as Kagome left silently. Once she was alone with her lord, and her seering pain in her neck she leaned down to her lord's elfin ear.

"I met your father," Rin whispered in his ear. "Tōtōsai said he gave me this pearl, I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it though. I'm not leaving you, I promise but I'm going to find the answers as to why your father left me this pearl."

There was no answer from him as he lay there. Rin carefully brushed his hair aside as she leaned over him. "I'm watching over you my lord, do not leave me alone just yet," Rin murmured as she kissed his brow then left him there resting. His hand reached out weakly for hers', she took it smiled to herself as she squeezed it then left. Rin was quick to get out of the hut as she hurried to find a way to Tōtōsai's. To her shock A-Un was here, Rin ignored Jaken as she ran to A-Un. Leaping onto the dragon's back she ordered the dragon to take her to Tōtōsai without listening to Kohaku or Shippo or Sango as she flew away.

She had to save her lord she couldn't stand it if he died because if he died then she'd die! She couldn't live without Sesshomaru so she had to save him. Bakusaiga was at her side, she could save him.

* * *

"She's back," Tōtōsai informed his flea companion.

"Master said she would," Myōga agreed.

"Yes, but do you know what is going on with this?" Tōtōsai asked.

"Our master always had a plan, but I do not know about this plan of his…" Myōga muttered before running away like the flea he was. Tōtōsai just looked out as Sesshomaru's girl landed on her two head dragon.

"What the hell does this do?" Rin demanded as she stalked up to him, in her hand was the large black pearl his master had entrusted to him to give to the girl.

"Ah, so you've traveled down the well now have you?" Tōtōsai mused as he looked at Rin who looked furious as she came at him.

"Yes, now you are going to explain exactly _**WHY**_ I went down that well!" Rin grabbed his clothing and yanked him up to her eye level, he stared down at the small girl's brilliant brown eyes as she glared at him.

Ah, and now he remembered her from so long ago. The fang he had fallen in love with which the girl had always carried with her, it was the fang he used as a model to his master's own fangs. Tenseiga and Tetsusiaga had been modeled after the fang that small human girl had carried with her. The fang he saw two-hundred sixty years ago and only recently saw again; eight years ago when Lord Sesshomaru had emerged holding it just as his master had predicted; Bakusaiga. The fang superior to even Sō'unga in power, the fang his master had desired but could not have because the girl guarded it.

"Well that is a really long story, one you do not have time for so you should really return to that well though. All your answers lay there; don't forget to take the pearl," Tōtōsai informed her. There was a fire he remembered from before, a dangerous beauty about the girl that he admired from so long ago that he saw now.

So this was the mate of Sesshomaru, the innocent child he had guarded was now the fierce woman who had bested InuTaisho. This was the woman who had known everything.

* * *

Rin just stalked back to A-Un for she wanted answers, she wanted to save her lord and she _**DID NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS SHIT!**_ But now she had to travel back down that well for the answers she needed!

"A-Un, to the well," she ordered as pain coursed through her and she ignored the almost paralyzing her. She had to save Sesshomaru!


	23. At A Beginning: Chapter 11

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Purpose:**_ Reason for Existence; the reason for which something exists or for which it has been done or made, the purpose of life…_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Sesshomaru stood there biting the well as he tried to catch this girl but the well seemed to have devoured that human! Snarling in frustration he gnashed his jaws as stepped away from the strange well and growled before turning for his father to enter the meadow.

"Sesshomaru!" his father called out, he snarled in frustration as he stepped away from the well some more and shrank back into his humanoid form. He said nothing as he looked at the well again then stalked off. There was a deep seeded desire in him to capture the girl, keep her, lock her away so only he could know her but why he felt that was beyond him.

Something about the girl drew him in, kept him intrigued and kept him interested. Though he was a curious creature by nature he was not interested in humans, he was especially uninterested in human women. But this human seemed to capture his interests for some reason, it was as if there was something about this human which called to him. It was much like what his pack mates described as the mating bond, but he did not have a mate and he'd never have a human mate.

Sesshomaru was quick to run through the wood, his frustration about the girl had yet to dissipate from his system as he leapt into the trees.

'_My lord, I'm sorry' her voice whispered softly as she lay there ill._

'_Catch me if you can, my lord,' her melodic voice teased him as she stood before him and the well._

Her lord she had called him.

But why, he was no lord. True on his mother's side he was royalty, he even had the mark of royalty in the center of his forehead. But it did not mean anything to him other than one day he'd have to surpass his father to be Inu no Taisho and he'd have to fight to be the alpha of his pack. Still it did not matter because for now he was not capable of surpassing his father. And his mother was looking for possible mates for him at the moment so he doubted that he'd have a human mate. After all he was Inu royalty with this mark on his brow but right now he was no lord.

Still the human had called him her lord, he wondered why.

Finding a perch to watch the well he sat alert in the tree as he over looked the meadow. His father was staring intently down the well, Sesshomaru wondered why. It wasn't as if his father was the one drawn to the strange human who called him her lord. He was relatively certain the human was something important and probably something his father wanted…all the more reason to keep the human girl out of his father's reach.

* * *

InuTaisho stood over the well frowning as he studied it, he had seen himself. The girl had smiled before she had run headlong for Sesshomaru, they had both been at the well when they both leapt up but the girl dove into the well. There was a light then she was gone.

The girl had leapt into the well, Sesshomaru had all but chased after the girl, gnawing and clawing at the well. But the girl was strange, and when InuTaisho had looked down the well he hadn't seen the small human girl he had seen dive into the well. So where was she? Was this how she had come to his forest? Why had the girl come to his forest? What was the girl's purpose? Why did she carry the fang of a powerful inu daiyōkai? Just who was the girl? It wasn't as if a human could be special because she was only a human, an abomination on this land but still he had seen the girl hold a fang he could not touch. The girl was strange, but why was she such a different kind of human? Why was this human so different, so unique? What made her special?

* * *

Lady Izayoi stood in her garden alone staring at out at the forest across the river. It had been two days now since Rin had left, she wondered where the girl had gone and what the girl was doing. The girl was nothing more than a child who for some reason she had been drawn to. It was as if Rin was a younger sister she had never had, Izayoi had never had a sister or a sibling before her father had passed leaving her in the care of Setsuna no Takemaru who would marry her by her twentieth summer. Though most would've been married by the time they were sixteen she had negotiated her marriage to be later in her life because she did not wish to marry Takemaru.

Izayoi stared out at the forest and she wondered just where Rin had gone, what Rin was doing and just why Rin was running around in the Inuyōkai forest. Perhaps she'd check the forest for Rin if Rin did not return in the next few days.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Rin stood at the well, her hand resting on the ledge as she stared down it. There was nothing there, just an empty well with a few bones. She lifted the black pearl in her fingers, she looked at it then down at the well. Just what was going on here? She shouldn't return to the past, she could destroy it.

But she had to save her lord.

The searing pain from the mark was almost crippling her as she swung her legs over the edge of the well. Her body was dying in this era, she moved the collar of her kimono then to look at the normally pale crescent moon mark, it was a dark shade of purple and turning black. The pain in the mark had her looking down the well, it was as if even the mark was ordering her down the well if only for a moment's relief from this pain.

Carefully Rin looked down the well then at Shippo and Kohaku who were running towards her shouting for her to wait, she looked at A-Un.

"I'll be back, A-Un, watch over my lord until I return!" Rin ordered as her fingers gripped the pearl and she fell into the well. It did not matter what happened to her, so long as Sesshomaru was alright! There was again nothing but the stars surrounding her as she made her way down the well again.

The ground materialized around her as she gently landed on her knees. Rin looked up.

The crescent moon hung in the sky proudly shining as she sat on her knees at the bottom of this well. Carefully she pulled herself to her feet then climbed out of the well. Before coming out of the well she looked around carefully, nothing.

She propped her hip on the ledge then looked around the meadow some more as she swung her legs over the edge of the well. There was no one here as she landed on the ground. She would need a place to be, her feet began running for the river in the dim moonlit forest. There was a thunderous pounding behind her as she ran but she didn't stop to see who or what was behind her for she knew it'd be her lord. Rin didn't hesitate as she ran over the ledge; she dove into the river then because she had to escape. Pulling herself out of the water on the other side of the river she stared at her lord's true form as he growled at her.

"My lord," she murmured as she stood on the opposite bank of the river, the red eyes glared at her with the utmost intensity as she walked into the human forest. She would head for Lady Izayoi's because she had to have somewhere to start. Soon InuTaisho would be drawn to Lady Izayoi and when he came she'd ask her questions.

How was she to save her lord?

But until he came she would wait, she would be patient because here she was not bound to time, here she was only bound until she found answers to save her lord. She heard a baleful howl as she walked through the forest and a tear slid down her cheek, she had to save him though here he was safe. Rin just walked silently through the forest with Bakusaiga at her side.


	24. At A Beginning: Chapter 12

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Purpose:**_ Reason for Existence; the reason for which something exists or for which it has been done or made, the purpose of life…_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin walked up to Setsuna no Takemaru's fortress, she wanted to scream in fear but refrained as she walked forward. The guards, the soldiers, everyone shouted at her to halt, she drew Bakusaiga when the aimed their arrows. The human demon, they called her that as they released their arrows on her. She was quick to slash through all the arrows for Bakusaiga's sole purpose when in her hands was to protect her, there was no way she could miss as she snarled and continued towards the entrance. Bakusaiga was glinting menacingly in the dim moonlight as she approached and she knew she'd be a sight to behold as she approached the fortress.

"Hold your fire!" she heard a woman's voice screech as the doors were dragged open. Rin just stared blankly at Izayoi who was clearly dressed in her sleep attire hurrying forward. She did not sheath Bakusaiga for she'd never truly trust the humans but Izayoi was one of the exceptions; including Kagome, Sango, Kaede, Miroku, their children, and Kohaku but other than them Rin did not actively trust humans. Nor did she trust okami but that was a different matter altogether.

"Lady Izayoi," Rin greeted tersely.

"Rin, I am so relieved that you are alright, I thought the inuyōkai devoured you!" Izayoi exclaimed as she ushered her into the fortress; the last place Rin wanted to go but she was going because it would be the best way for InuTaisho to come to her. Or so she hoped. She did not know much about InuTaisho's and Izayoi's love for it was not really a topic discussed. For her lord it seemed to be painful, Inuyasha simply was not born to know and the two old geezers who knew of the love never spoke of it for some reason. So Rin hoped he came to Izayoi, if he did not come to Izayoi then Rin was going to him.

"I would never disgrace my lord by being devoured; he'd be ashamed of me," Rin said seriously. Sesshomaru would not like it if she were devoured by a yōkai of any kind; he'd be even more displeased if he was the one to devour her. That would not be a good way to die though she'd be happy it was her lord, she'd be furious for having died before she could save him. No, being devoured was not an option for her.

"You say strange things Rin," Izayoi informed her, Rin frowned. It was not strange, it was only strange because she could not say who her lord was. If they knew she was Sesshomaru-sama's Rin then there could be problems for her and for Sesshomaru alike. He because he hated humans with a fiery passion at the moment, and she because he hated humans with a fiery passion at the moment. Then again Rin was certain her lord hated everyone equally but just voiced hatred against humans and hanyōs because they were the reason the mighty Inu no Taisho would perish in a 'miserable death' as he had told her. They had only ever discussed his father after Takemaru had tried to use Sō'unga to kill her, that was when she had learned the true depth of her lord's pain and his loneliness. That was when she had curled up on his lap (for she had still been a child) and promised she would always love him for forever; though she had no idea about the pain involved with loving her lord at the time.

"May I stay with you Lady Izayoi, I am willing to work for my keep but I must ask if I can stay near," Rin bowed to the lady then because she was not about to discuss her strange ways with Lady Izayoi.

"Of course Rin, you are most welcomed in Setsuna no Takemaru's house as my lady's maid. Come now!" Izayoi dragged her deeper into the fortress and Rin just stumbled along after the woman. She never mentioned that she had no idea what a lady's maid was, or what to do as a lady's maid for she did not care. All she cared about was being Lady Izayoi until InuTaisho came for her. Then Rin would be getting her answers, either the polite way or with Bakusaiga at his throat because she was not leaving here until she knew how to save her lord. She would not fail Sesshomaru.

* * *

Sesshomaru had chased the human girl when she had emerged from the well. It had been fun too, even he had to admit the human was quick and nimble for a human. Most humans were slow and clumsy but not that human girl, she was just as agile as any inuyōkai or yōkai of any menial skill. It was most entertaining chasing her, then she had dove into the river, he had worriedly awaited her coming to the surface and if she hadn't when she had he'd have dove in after her. Something in him was compelled to know that this human was alright, that she was safe and sound.

She had come out of the river, much to his relief and looked at him. Again he could not sense a trace of fear or terror in her, her brown eyes were on his and he had only seen love and devotion in her eyes. Something which no other living creature had ever given him, it had startled him to the core. There she stood giving him a look of absolute, unwavering un deniable love and loyalty; a look he had never in his life received for another living creature and then she was gone.

Before he had really thought about what he was doing he had wrapped himself in light and followed her. He had slipped silently through the trees above her, his eyes never leaving her small form as she all but floated through the forest. Was she truly a yōkai in disguise? He had wondered for the girl slipped through the forest without a sound or a trace; but her light, pure, clean, rain-like scent wafted through the air to him so he knew she was no ghost. Still there was something odd about this girl though he did not know what it was as he had followed her.

Then she had drawn the katana, the silver fang he had sensed as certainly as if his own heart were beating outside his chest as she walked towards that human fortress. The blade glinted menacingly in the moon's light and then he had witnessed the yōkai of the blade engulf her, surround her, protect her even as she had slashed through the arrows those humans shot at her. He actually had to hold himself back from running after the girl snatching her up and hiding her away to protect her.

"Rin," he had heard the human woman shout as she had grabbed the girl.

So his human's name was Rin, Sesshomaru mused over the evening as he sat silently in the human fortress with the girl who slept soundly beside him using mokomoko as her pillow. He toyed with her hair, he had a feeling this was something he'd do often but not for a long time. Rin did not belong here. That much he was certain of as he leaned over the human girl and pulled the collar of her sleeping garment down to reveal what had drawn him to her.

There.

It was as plain as day, and his eyes widened at the sight. The crescent moon, his mark, on the nape of her neck, proud, bold, and daring as it sat there. _**BUT HE HAD NEVER BEFORE TOUCHED THIS GIRL!**_

So how the hell did she have his mark and seal on her!?

"My lord," she breathed softly as she slept against his fur. Sesshomaru stared at the human girl.

_**What the hell was going on here!?**_

"Rin," he whispered softly tasting her name on his tongue again, he liked it. It was a soft, sweet name, suited for a small, fragile human girl like her. Carefully, so as not to disturb the sleeping human, he leaned over and pressed his lips against the mark on her neck. It tasted delicious, it smelled divine, and it was his! He liked that, as he pulled away and sat guard over the girl.

Though why he sat guard over her that night was beyond him. He did not like weak things, he did not protect anyone or anything but as he sat there in the moonlight with the human girl he decided this wasn't all that bad. It felt good, and it felt right to be with Rin. She smiled in her sleep as she hugged his mokomoko.


	25. At A Beginning: Chapter 13

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Purpose:**_ Reason for Existence; the reason for which something exists or for which it has been done or made, the purpose of life…_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village... (10 minutes after Rin's departure down the Bone Eater's Well)**_

"Where's Rin?" Sesshomaru breathed. As he opened his eyes to Kagome's face. Not the face he wanted to see and if he were honest she was not even a creature he wanted to see at this moment. Kagome looked nervous as he watched her, she was nervously chewing her bottom lip. Where was Rin? He growled then as he awaited to know just where Rin had gone.

"Well, she's…uh…Inuyasha! Sesshomaru's awake!" Kagome shouted, he just winced internally as he tried to keep his eyes open then. He wanted to know where his mate was, he wanted to know, he wanted all of these memories to stop! He wanted them gone, he did not want to remember the nymph, the girl, the creature of which he had craved and missed for two hundred sixty years. But eight years ago he felt the connection he had missed so intensely, the companionship he had so desperately missed, and the recently the woman he had craved for so long had begun standing before him. Rin, the girl he had named his human after had been named Rin.

The human pup he had been drawn to, the human he had marked, the creature he had named Rin because he had missed the human girl from his youth before she had disappeared. The orphan girl's blood had stirred the memories and brought back his long lost memories of that Rin, the girl who had carried the white fang with her everywhere and had first called him her lord, other's had followed Rin's example. But that Rin had been the first to call him a lord, to even make him think of himself as more as an heir of Inu no Taisho or InuKimi.

"Rin?" he asked coldly when his brother came blundering in then. Inuyasha just blinked at him then at Kagome. Pain coursed through him again and oblivion over took him.

'_My lord,' she had whispered as she stood on the opposite bank in the moonlight. She looked at him without fear or horror as he stood there in his true form away from her._

Her name was Rin. She was his. But why couldn't he remember her? The creature of which he had searched for, craved, missed, and hunted for so long and he could barely remember what her face looked like. Why could he not remember Rin clearly anymore? He could barely remember the human child he had taken in now. Why could he not remember them?

* * *

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin woke in the morning to look out at a light rain when Lady Izayoi came charging into her room with a bright smile. Automatically Rin sat up to stare at her new master who had charged into her small-ish quarters.

"Why do you sleep on the floor? Come on Rin, let's go! I have to go to the river to collect herbs and you are to be my escort so I do not have idiot guards trampling on the herbs I need for a change."

"Yes my lady," Rin said as she quickly got to her feet, tugged on a clean kimono and followed Izayoi. Only after she slipped Bakusaiga on her hip.

"What about your footwear?" Izayoi asked.

"I do not ever wear footwear, it cuts off one's connection to the earth and life," Rin replied honestly. She had never liked shoes, not even before the massacre, and after her lord had taken her in he had never ordered her to wear footwear unless there was snow on the ground or it was too cold for her small human body to handle. Her lord always prided himself on taking very good care of her, she could sense it even if he did not express it. Sesshomaru prided himself on protecting and caring for what was his to the best of his ability. And Rin was his.

"That's…interesting," Izayoi admitted.

"It's alright if you tell me it's odd, I already know it's odd," Rin mused and then Izayoi laughed.

"Rin, you are a refreshing breath of fresh air. I have long since thought people were odd for wearing footwear but I must admit I could never live without it, I could not walk around outside barefoot without fearing stepping on a snake or rock."

"The hazard of remaining barefoot but a risk I shall take for my comfort," Rin informed Izayoi truthfully as they walked out of the fort without an escort. Rin did not like the confines of the fortress but she'd enjoy her moments of freedom before returning as they walked into the forest.

"I like you Rin, for so long I have felt lonely but around you I feel happy. I must admit that this is a nice change," Izayoi informed her as they walked to the river.

"Why? I am not special," Rin said coldly. It was true to because she could never be special; she was a human after all and that was her greatest flaw. A flaw of which she'd never be able to overcome nor did she care to overcome it. It was a part of her and though she was not pleased about being human it was bit about her she had come to accept. Rin knew she'd never be perfect like her lord.

"But you are Rin, you are free, and that makes you special. Don't think differently." Izayoi said firmly, Rin just shrugged indifferently as she walked with her lady again. All Rin wanted to do was save her lord, but if to save her lord meant serving Lady Izayoi then so be it, Rin would serve Izayoi to the best of her abilities. "I wish I could be more like you."

"No, never wish that my lady," Rin said firmly. Being her was not something she'd ever wish upon another being. Being her was painful and tough, the only good part about being her was her lord. And even he was threatened at the moment by Magatsuhi. Rin would never wish her fate upon another woman, no matter how strong that woman may be.

"Why not?"

"Because being me is painful," Rin replied matter-of-factly because she could not think of a reason Lady Izayoi would truly understand. Being her, being Rin, it was painful, it was dangerous, and it was often times lonely because she was always alone. There was no reason to think she'd ever belong with human or others because she was a loner creature by nature. The fact she had taken so quickly to Sesshomaru had truly baffled her, but then loneliness could be lonely and Sesshomaru was the first creature who had made her feel cherished and cared for. Because of that she'd love him for as long as she lived.

"It cannot be that bad, you have your lord don't you?"

"Yes I do, but he will never love me the way I love him," Rin murmured into the wind as she stared out at the river. Lady Izayoi would never understand the pain of loving someone who'd never love you back. She'd have InuTaisho and from her understand his love for her was…pure and unwavering. Sesshomaru would never return her love, she had a feeling he couldn't love because he had already lost the love of his life.

The mark on her neck tingled, she lifted her gaze to the trees as she stood guard of Lady Izayoi.

Amber was watching her plainly, she smiled involuntarily at him as the wind tugged her heavy black hair.

"My lord," she whispered to him, his gaze never left hers' for what felt like an eternity.

"Rin, what are you looking at?" Izayoi's voice jarred her.

"Nothing," Rin replied looking back at Lady Izayoi.

* * *

Rin, the name had his lips curling into a smile before he left the watch to his father and found a perch farther away. The girl drew him to her, he couldn't leave her.


	26. At A Beginning: Chapter 14

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Purpose:**_ Reason for Existence; the reason for which something exists or for which it has been done or made, the purpose of life…_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

She had spent a week here and enough was enough! She couldn't take it anymore as she silently slipped through house of Setsuna no Takemaru; guards were on alert obviously. But a week of studying this place and she knew the routines as she agilely slipped through the shadows. Before Sesshomaru had given her over to Kaede and Inuyasha she had been a thief, and though she had lived in Edo for eight years she had not let her skills be dampened with time. Rin was a ghost, she was a creature of the forest, she was a wild thing and being all of those made her appreciate the art of being invisible. Carefully she peeked around the corner to see Takemaru walking away from her down the hall, silently she slipped past him to the garden wall. She heft herself up the tangled plants of the wall then swung her legs over the edge before sliding over the edge and landing lightly in a field of grass.

The moon was gone tonight, it was the night of the new moon so why should it be here as she race into the forest, her feet sure of her path as she raced through the black forest. Bakusaiga was at her side and her senses sharp as she blindly raced through the forest, she was careful not to make a sound as she made her way to the river bank.

In the past week she had learned that this side of the river was the 'human half' and the other was the inuyōkai forest; the home and territory of the inuyōkai who would devour a human for simply breathing their clean forest air. The Inuyōkai Clan's hatred of human ran deeply, and the human hatred of those dogs was apparently just as strong. Takemaru preached of eradicating those feral inuyōkai from existence, apparently Inu no Taisho advocated to the execution of the humans should they ever come into the inuyōkai forest. Rin just inhaled a deep breath before rolling up her sleeves, securing Bakusaiga and running into the river.

Diving into the chilling water she propelled herself across, she was thankful to Kagome for having given her those swimming lessons then. It had made her a stronger human as she pushed her way through the heavy cold water of the river. Briefly she came up for air then resumed her swim, making it to the opposite shore Rin shoved her hair back then looked at the imposing forest. The inuyōkai forest, or as it later became known Inuyasha's forest, Edo would be on this river one day but until then Rin was trespassing in the land of the inuyōkai who hunted humans. She was not in Edo or in Inuyasha's forest where the hanyō ruled, she was in the wild. Rin loved it as much as it terrified her.

Before she really thought through her plan or thought to question herself she raced into the forest in hopes of finding InuTaisho because he'd have the answers she'd want. She had to save her lord, her Sesshomaru. There was no room for error in this mission because she could not live without him. Swiftly she made her way through the pitch black forest as she raced for the well. No doubt InuTaisho would be after her any moment.

* * *

So the foolish human had dared to trespass for a fourth time, she would not live to do it a fifth time! InuTaisho charged after that scent ignoring his pack and patrol men and son as he snarled after the scent. That fucking human would suffer his wrath for daring to break the unspoken treaty! She would understand that no matter how powerful of a mate she may or may not have she could never best him or Sō'unga. The human would learn the true extent of his power! He drew Sō'unga who's glee coursed through him as he tore after this annoying human. He came to a halt in the clearing with the strange well, the girl stood there with her fang drawn.

"Inu no Taisho," the girl said coldly as she fell into a fighting stance, he growled.

"And what is your name?"

"I have no name, my lord calls me Rin," the girl answered him coldly as she watched him.

"Are you prepared to die human?" InuTaisho growled out.

"Are you?" Rin challenged. He release a baleful growl before he took the offensive. Sō'unga would be able to tell him the girl's thoughts, her fears, her desires, everything about who this girl was. She was prepared for him though as her fang came up to clash with Sō'unga.

"Rin, you fear me!" Sō'unga purred out in a dark voice which had InuTaisho smiling then.

"I do, but you will not win this time either!" Rin shouted at the sword as she seemed to gain strength. Her fang flung him away, InuTaisho nimbly landed on his feet to stare at the girl. This human…

She growled rather like an inuyōkai before she came flying at him with her fang prepared for the attack. Never in his life had he ever been caught so off guard as he stumbled back to fend off the girl's savage attacks. InuTaisho at best could deflect her attacks as he tried to land a solid blow on the human so Sō'unga could tell him what she was thinking. But it appeared Rin's fang was defending her in more ways than one. When Sō'unga was finally knocked out of his hand and her fang was at his throat, there was a look in her eyes which made him think of Sesshomaru then. There was a cold, wildness in her eyes as if she could and would kill him without a second thought.

"It is not my fate to kill you but you are going to answer my questions or I will damn fate and kill you now," the girl snarled out as she grabbed his armor to pull her down to his eye level.

"Why did you being me here!?" the girl hissed at him as she kept her fang level to his throat. InuTaisho eyed Sō'unga who was planted in the ground then.

"I would never summon a human, you keep trespassing in my forest on your own accord. So why are you here human?" InuTaisho grounded out as he tried to think of a way past the human. True he had all this awesome power but to use it on a human seemed wasteful. Then again he'd love to spar with this human again, she made an interesting opponent; almost as interesting as Sesshomaru. Her brown eyes were filled with rage and determination, and love and loyalty; he had to admire that spirit in her.

"You! You planned all of this and yet you do not know why you summoned me here?" Rin's voice wavered then as she looked at him.

"Planned what!?" he roared at her as she stepped away from him her eyes wide and her fang hanging limply in her hand.

"You don't even know," she whispered.

"Know what?" InuTaisho asked as he sat against the tree to watch this human who seemed in a daze of some kind then.

"Tōtōsai said you left this for me," Rin said as she pulled out a large black-blue-green pearl which gleamed darkly in the star's light of a moonless night. InuTaisho stood then, he carefully took the pearl from the girl's fingers but never removed it from her neck as he studied it.

"This is a yōkai portal pearl, a rare black pearl which can only be used by one particular, it can take yōkai to desired places provided it is opened by the intended. You must be the intended for this pearl to work. Why do you have a yōkai's rare black pearl?" InuTaisho asked as he eyed the girl with new interest. Perhaps she was not completely human after all…

"I do not know, you left it in Tōtōsai's care and told him to give it to Sesshomaru-sama's companion," Rin informed him. He lifted a brow. Since when was his son Sesshomaru-sama? The boy was still in training; when he wasn't wandering around aimlessly to pick fights with much strong and larger yōkai.

"Where are you from?" InuTaisho asked coldly as he carefully looked this human girl over from head to toe. She just blinked up at him.

"I am from a village called Edo, I am from a time after you, I serve Sesshomaru-sama with my life and I am here to save my lord at all costs. You were the one who summoned me here so why am I here?" Rin asked him. He released the girl and her pearl, she intrigued him. Perhaps he'd continue to meet with this human to understand her better.

"I do not know, I would never summon a human here. You said you are here to save Sesshomaru? Why?" InuTaisho asked, Rin just blinked at him.

"I have to go, my lady will be waking soon and would be concerned if I were not there when she woke," Rin said as she sheathed her fang. He just let her go, there was something odd about that human. And since when was Sesshomaru a lord!? InuTaisho just shook his head as he walked off to Sō'unga, he picked the ancient sword up then as she sheathed the blade again on his back. Again he looked at where Rin had disappeared into the forest.

Something in him whispered that he'd be seeing the girl again. Perhaps then he could get some answers out of her as he walked off into the night. Until she returned to him though he'd be keeping a close watch over this Rin, he wanted to know more about her. After all he was a curious creature by nature.

* * *

Sesshomaru had picked up Rin's scent in the forest that night and found himself following it to the river where he watched the human girl dive into the water and disappear. He held his breath until she surfaced on the other side of the river, she wrung out her long black hair then looked at him with such a sad look which had him wanting to run over to her. But he didn't as she turned to walk into the human forest.

Just what was Rin doing in the inuyōkai forest anyways?

Sesshomaru traced her scent to the meadow where he saw his father sheath Sō'unga on his back again before walking into the forest. There was something strange going on here, Sesshomaru wanted to know what. He was a curious creature after all and Rin had his curiosity peeked.

He silently stole away into the night to the human fortress where Rin was being kept. Silently he made his way to Rin's quarters where she was pulling off her wet kimono and tugging on a dry one as she fell onto the futon. He waited until he could hear her deep even breathing and steady heart beat before slipping into her room to sit guard over her. She hugged her fang as he sat beside her. Again he pulled the collar of her sleeping garment down to reveal what was so clearly his mark though he knew he had never put it on the girl and kissed it softly. It still tasted so divine and sweet and was his, all his.

Rin was his.

Though he never remembered laying claim to her as his. Still he didn't mind as his tongue traced the mark, Rin moaned lightly in her sleep.

"Sesshomaru," she breathed out as she tilted her head to give him better access. Such an obedient little human, he liked it as he pulled away from her to sit guard over her. He liked the sound of his name when she said it too.

He glanced at the human, all his; his beast all but growled out in delight. But he didn't remember her, why could he not remember this human yet felt so drawn to her?


	27. At A Beginning: Chapter 15

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Purpose:**_ Reason for Existence; the reason for which something exists or for which it has been done or made, the purpose of life…_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

The steady rain was beginning to take it's toll on her though she had to admit she was relieved to at least have good company while she was enduring the rain. Though there were those days when her company would mysteriously disappear. There were times because of these disappearances that she had thought Rin to be a kitsune or something rather than a complete human. Takemaru feared Rin and avoided her as best he could, though Izayoi found it amusing that her fiancé feared such a small woman. Rin was really small too, after all she barely reached Izayoi's shoulder and that sword of hers' was nearly bigger than she. It was amusing to see Rin walking around with the weapon but also odd, Rin looked like a child, she still looked far younger than sixteen she claimed to be but there was something old about her too. The child was most amazing if one asked Izayoi.

But on a day like today Rin was gone to do whatever it was that Rin did on the days she left, but she'd return like always so Izayoi had no qualms about her lady's maid running off. Rin would return and that was all that mattered to Izayoi, though on a day like today she'd have liked to have had the girl's company.

The forest was so silent, aside from the rain falling there were no sounds as she made her way to the herbs she needed. A soldier had returned with a bad wound and it had become infected, Izayoi did not have the herbs needed to heal him properly so she had come to collect some. Carefully, so as to not stain or ruin her kimono she made her way down the ledge, if Takemaru found out she had left the compound without a proper escort or Rin then he'd be furious. She did not want him mad at her but she could not let that soldier die, he had a wife who had asked her to save him.

She would do everything in her power to save him.

Even if this meant disreguarding Takemaru's will and leaving the compound without an escort. She would not let the man die without a fight, so here she was avoiding staining or ruining her kimono so Takemaru did not know where she had gone. Oh why couldn't Rin have been here today!? Izayoi bit her lip as she carefully made her way down the ridge to her favorite herb spot by the river. Landing on the soft wet grass Izayoi hurried to the herbs she'd need. She'd need this, and this, and this, that would help, this was good for fevers, she internally chimed as she picked what she'd need to help the man.

There was a menacing feeling which raced down her spine and had her freezing in her spot.

Her heart began racing as she dared to peek over her shoulder at what had her freezing in her tracks. There in a tree lazily lounged a tall, lean silver yōkai. Izayoi just stared at him as he glared down at her with golden eyes.

"You are not Rin," he spat out in almost absolute loathing. She stood slowly, preparing to run then. The creature gazed at her with such an intense hatred though she almost feared running from him. If he were to chase her he would surely kill her, he was an inuyōkai after all. Despite his handsome face he was a dog at heart and dogs hunted to kill, he'd kill her.

"N-no I am not," she choked out. He landed on the ground before her then, the pelt on his back part down the middle, his terrifying sword was also on his back while his armor spoke of his Western heritage were all the inuyōkai were said to be from. His long silver hair was pulled back and up into a thick tail, his handsome face was marred by jagged slashes of purple on his cheeks and his magenta lidded eyes highlighted his golden eyes. If he was not such a fearsome creature she'd have thought him beautiful; in the dangerous way a tiger was beautiful though. His clawed hand reached out to grab her chin and tilted her head back as if to study her face then.

"Why do you want Rin?" Izayoi managed to stutter out past her fear as she stood there frozen staring up at his golden gaze as he studied her. Her hood fell off her head so the rain hit her now revealed face. She couldn't tear her gaze away from the silver yōkai who had her in his hold, if he was going to kill her she wished he would just do it already! This was terrifying as he studied her over.

"I have questions for that human for which she has the answers I need," the inuyōkai growled out. His claws dug into her skin a bit then.

"Rin is gone today!" Izayoi squeaked out.

"Where did she go?" he snarled at her.

"Release my lady," both she and the inuyōkai looked up the ridge at Rin who stood there in the rain, her long hair drenched, her feet muddied and her kimono disheveled as if she had been swimming or running in this rain.

"Rin," the inuyōkai greeted coldly as he released her.

"My lady, I must insist you leave immediately, take your herbs and go," Rin said sternly as she stalked down the ledge, Izayoi did as she was ordered. Snatching up her herbs she ran back up the ledge, she turned briefly to look back at the handsome silver figure who was watching her leave then she raced into the forest. Just what was Rin doing!?

It didn't matter, she had what she needed to save Takemaru's soldier and she would save him! Rin would be able to handle herself! That much Izayoi was certain of. Rin was not some weak human girl who needed someone to protect her. She was stronger than Izayoi so she'd be fine. For now all Izayoi needed to focus on was saving that man before his family lost him for forever, a good honorable death was what the man needed. Not this pitiful death from an infected wound. She would heal him.

* * *

"Do you not think yourself a bit childish for picking on defenseless women?" Rin asked him, he merely curled his lips back into a feral smile. The child had no idea of what he thought to be childish and not to be childish. The woman had been enticing, alluring, entrancing and now that he had seen her face he could claim to have seen a true beauty of the human race. Rin was beautiful but in a wild way, the lady she served…

That was the kind of lady he would steal for himself.

InuTaisho liked pretty things. He liked them better when they were spirited, Rin's lady had shown spirit by looking him in the eyes and holding her ground. The lady would be a most interesting creature to capture, he was certain she'd be a passionate creature once he captured her too. As of late humans had become interesting creatures to him, he wanted to know about these humans for they appeared to be resilient creatures. Particularly the women of this species. He did not remember meeting so many interesting females amongst his pack mates. In the Inuyōkai pack mating was about power, not love and he had mated the most powerful bitch in their pack, InuKimi, he had defeated her fair and square and sired a son with her. But these human females were proving to have more spirit rather than power, he liked it.

"If you just did as you were ordered I would not be forced to trespass in human territory to track you down," InuTaisho reminded the girl who lifted a brow at him.

"And what would you like to know InuTaisho?" Rin asked challengingly.

"You called my son lord, why?" he wanted to understand this human better and why she followed his son when his son was a failure and a nomadic spirit not fit for leading a pack. Sesshomaru had turned out to be more of a loner rather than a leader; much to his and InuKimi's sorrow, they had wanted to sire a son of great power and leadership. Sesshomaru was failing as a leader.

"Because your son is the most powerful Inu no Taisho in my time," the girl replied. InuTaisho nearly laughed then but refrained.

"What are you to my son?" InuTaisho asked.

"I am his, I have been since I was eight," the girl pulled her collar down then. He just gaped at what he could see clearly.

The royal crest!

"Now for my questions, where do I find the Shikon no Tama?" Rin asked as she pulled her collar back into place. He frowned at her, she smiled brightly at him. Just who was this human!?


	28. At A Beginning: Chapter 16

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Plan:**_ System for Achieving Objective; a method of doing something that is worked out in advance…_

* * *

**Chapter 16**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Over the last few weeks Rin had fallen into a routine and a sort of game with InuTaisho. He'd ask his question about her time; she'd avoid mentioning Izayoi and Inuyasha because the he might avoid that path and she could never risk that; she'd answer his question and then she'd ask her own question. He was not above a spar either, he often times beat her but there were the occasions when he slipped up and she demolished him; after all her lord had personally seen to her training since she was ten and Kohaku had attempted to kiss her. Something about needing to be able to ward off evil men? But since her lord had trained her she was a capable fighter. Still she shied away from Sō'unga because the sword genuinely terrified her still; so did Takemaru but that was a different matter altogether.

To Rin it seemed unnatural to avoid Sesshomaru; it was also difficult. She knew tracking him could be challenging but to actually avoid him! Ye gods! She might've had better luck telling the wind to go away! On the bright side she always managed to return to human territory before he caught her, though she had a feeling that did not deter him from following her. Sesshomaru knew who he was stronger than, who he was better than and he was fearless because of that. Worse Rin knew he actually was better than everyone around him!

The worst thing about her meetings with InuTaisho was his fascination with the mark. If Sesshomaru from her time had been obsessed with it the InuTaisho's fascination about it was just one step short of obsession. Worse was the fact that when she asked what the mark meant he wouldn't tell her, saying that should be something Sesshomaru explain when he was ready. Rin didn't want to wait for Sesshomaru to explain what the mark meant because then she could live and die a full happy life never knowing. Sesshomaru had no concept of time so he might never explain what the mark meant. Still it seemed to continuously get…bolder, darker, and more defined to her irritation.

Still today she walked with Lady Izayoi in the light rain as they again headed to the herb garden her lady seemed to favor. The girls were silent, and Rin had this bad feeling they were being watched as they walked on through the human forest. It wasn't yōkai Rin feared, but even in this era there were bandits and bandits were far scarier than any yōkai could be.

"Rin?"

"Yes my lady?" Rin hurried up to walk beside Izayoi then.

"The yōkai from the other day? Do you know him?" Izayoi asked, Rin caught the slight blush upon her cheeks.

"Yes, he was Inu no Taisho, InuTaisho as he is better known. He is one of the greatest of the daiyōkai to have ever lived," Rin replied smiling slightly at Izayoi's blush. So she was interested in InuTaisho after all…this could get to be very interesting soon. Rin wondered how this would play out.

People seemed to forget that Sesshomaru had raised her, and though she had been surrounded by Kaede and Inuyasha's pack she had mostly been raised by Sesshomaru. Even after he had given her to them. In some ways his personality had rubbed off on her, his curiosity and dislike of humans for example had rubbed off on her. When she was scared, or on a mission or in a fight she was cold, distant and composed because she could not show how scared she was or what she was thinking or how she was thinking for her enemies could use it all against her. Even when she was in strange new places she was not happy or carefree or open, she was cold, distant, and composed as she watched people because she did not trust many. Recently though she had found herself relaxing around Izayoi and InuTaisho; it was shocking to her since she did not want to like them. But she did, and it pained her knowing she'd leave them to die while she went about saving her lord.

"You seem to know a lot about inuyōkai, Rin." Izayoi gave her a hooded look and Rin smiled then. Yes she did know a lot about inuyōkai, but she was Sesshomaru's so she should.

"Yes, I was raised by an Inu Daiyōkai, he has been a very good guardian to me," Rin smiled at old memories then.

"Why did you come to the humans if you were so happy with this inuyōkai?"

"My lord was poisoned, I came here in search of the only thing I know could possibly cure him," Rin said sadly. She had never had to explain why she was here or even what she was looking for to anyone really. InuTaisho was looking for the Shikon no Tama because she had asked this of him and she had promised to tell him more about his legacy if he found it.

"Hmm, your lord is this inuyōkai who raised you?" Izayoi asked.

"Yes," Rin answered.

"Why would he take in a human like you? What would make you special?" Izayoi asked hotly.

"Nothing, I am not special, I am just a human orphan who means nothing to anyone. My lord saved me, he took me in, he cared about me, he protected me and gave me a home. My family was slaughtered before my eyes by bandits, my mother was raped and tortured for days, I witnessed the horror from my hiding spot. Afterwards I was left in my village, alone and detested and thought to be a curse or bad omen. No child was permitted near me so I was alone, no villager would spare me food so I stole, no one was to speak to me so I was beaten, and no one was to care for me so I was waiting for death. I met my lord, I did not fear him and he asked about me, I followed him from then on. There is nothing special about me, I am just a girl who has nothing who has died and who is ready to die for my lord. I am not special, you are though, my lady." Rin knew how special Izayoi really was, and knew how vital she was to InuTaisho because even Inuyasha had said his mother never loved again.

"Rin, I had no idea you lived through that, I'm sorry," Izayoi gasped. Rin turned to look at the woman, there were tears in Izayoi's eyes; in many ways Izayoi reminded Rin of Kagome. The same bleeding heart which ached from other's pains.

"It nothing, it was a long time ago and my lord saved me. I do not care if he is an Inu Daiyōkai or if he is human I would follow him simply because he was the first to be kind to me and he was the first to save me." Rin shrugged as they walked on to the spot at the river.

* * *

Sesshomaru finally found Rin, alone as she walked through the human forest that night. He had seen her and the other woman on the river bank that morning and hadn't followed them like he had wished to because he was with a patrol part. Chieko had growled at the women who had just looked at them from across the river while Fumio had let out a vicious snarl. Sesshomaru had done nothing as he looked at Rin who was looking back at him with a look of unwavering love and loyalty even as her fingers grasped the hilt of her fang. Unlike his pack mates Sesshomaru saw no point in reacting to two harmless human women who were on their side of the river doing nothing threatening to the pack.

But now as he followed Rin through the human forest under the crescent moon he wondered just what his human was up to. Not that it mattered, she was not going to be making it to her midnight rendezvous tonight. His lips curled into a feral smile as Rin stopped in a beautiful silver clearing; all of the white flowers looked silver in the dim moonlight. It was most beautiful, and Rin standing in the center of it was a sight to behold.

"I know you are following me, my lord," her voice rang out sweet and clear in the night.

He made no sound to reply as he slipped silently up behind her.

"My lord," she turned around to smile at him, he frowned at her as he approached her. "Why can you not just leave me alone?"

He pulled her collar aside to reveal the mark he hated her covering, he didn't know why but he absolutely hated it when she hid it. The mark had become bolder and more vibrant since his nightly visits, he loved the taste of it and could never seem to leave it alone.

"What does this mark mean?" Rin asked in a soft voice as she looked at him. He tilted her chin back.

"That you are mine," he said firmly. He liked this human because at this moment there wasn't a trace of fear in those large brown eyes. Just love and curiosity. Sesshomaru found himself not hating this creature as much as he hated others. He despised his pack mates, they despised him in return, he admired his father but wanted to defeat him for his father had the ultimate power, and he loathed his mother for she loved to toy with everything; every life; as if it were her own personal toy. He hated humans because they hated and feared him in return. In truth he hated everyone around him, and why no they all hated him. But this girl…this girl did not look at him with hatred or fear, what he saw here was something he had craved. Acceptance.

"Yes I am, but why the mark?" Rin asked seriously. He smirked before he bent over to lightly kiss her. It would be easier to show her what the mark really meant as he tugged her chin down and deepened the kiss. He backed her up to a tree, Rin gasped when her back was harshly shoved against the tree but he didn't care as he never broke the kiss. This felt right.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed when he pulled away to kiss the mark.

"Rin," he replied before he came back up to kiss her. He didn't know why but this felt right to him, and though the mark clearly stated that she was his mate he hadn't thought this would feel as good as it did. Rin's fingers slid into his silver hair, he growled as he pulled her with him to the ground to be in the flowers.

"Mine," he nipped her bottom lip. Rin just blinked up at him in the moonlight.

* * *

**Alrighty…**

**So I've come up to a point in this story And I'm asking your opinion (which is a rare occurrence for me as a writer to ask my reader's opinion) on if I should write a lemon or not…**

**For those of you new to the story you can add in your opinion and for those of you who are rereading this you'd remember my earlier implications. But since I have a day off I have time to think of how to write a lemon.**

**Personally it's not a big deal either way to me, I'm not particularly fond of writing them; mostly because I don't think I'm good at writing them but hey I'm not against practicing, but I'm not against writing them. I'm asking you as a reader what you would like to read at the moment, I just thought about it a lot over the last few days and since I don't really write lemons nor do I think of them as crucial to a story I thought to ask you, my readers, what your thoughts were.**

**I'm going to continue the reposting of this story either way and now is the time for changes…**


	29. At A Beginning: Chapter 17

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Plan:** _System for Achieving Objective; a method of doing something that is worked out in advance…_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin just blinked up at him in the moonlight as she lay there in a field of flowers. His, it was all he said the mark meant but that's all he had ever said it meant before he had kissed her. Now being his meant something else entirely to her as his mouth came crashing back onto hers. Her body clung to his as he kissed her, she had never been kissed like this, as it heated up every bit of her body. Rin couldn't breathe when his claws sliced through the silk of her borrowed clothing, he hadn't hesitated as he had gone about shredding the silk. Bakusaiga fell to the ground, she wrapped around her lord and smiled at him. As he moved to kiss the mark again.

"My lord," she whispered.

"My name," he growled out.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin groaned out when his fangs nipped her skin.

"Rin," he snarled.

"Sesshomaru!" she finally said before he kissed her again. It would be a long wonderful night for them. He growled in her ear, she just smiled as his hands slid over her body. All of this felt right to her, this felt deliciously good and it felt like now was supposed to happen. Like it already happened.

* * *

The sun woke Rin, as did the sore, dampness between her legs and the arm around her waist. Mokomoko was wrapped securely around her as well as they both lay under tattered silk, fur, and in the beautiful white flowers. She'd need to make an herbal tea, Rin thought groggily, the one Kagome had shown her so long ago. The one to prevent pregnancy, Rin thought sadly. But she couldn't get pregnant now, though she didn't mind the thought as she rolled over in her lord's arms. He was watching her intently as she looked at him.

"Rin," he greeted.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, she didn't think she had introduced herself to this Sesshomaru. Her Sesshomaru was in the future dying in Kagome's hut. This Sesshomaru, though the same was different, he was younger. Visibly younger, he looked to be about her age in human years; sixteen or seventeen; his hair was slightly short; no much shorter but shorter all the same, and his face was not as…expressionless.

"Hn," he replied as he toyed with a bit of her hair, she just smiled slightly at him as she lay there. So he had been following her around, she wasn't surprised because this was Sesshomaru after all but she was saddened. There were so many things she had wanted to ask him, so many things she had wanted to say to him but hadn't because it wasn't her place, this wasn't her time. But now as she lay there wrapped up with her lover's mokomoko she couldn't help but wonder if this was her time? Sesshomaru had never talked about his past, so she could very well belong here and never know.

"Why do you have this mark? I never saw you before a few weeks ago," he gently traced the crescent moon on her neck.

"Does the mark offend you?" Rin asked nervously, she didn't think she could get rid of it! And if he didn't like it then short of lopping off her neck she didn't know how to rid herself of the mark.

"No," he kissed her lightly on the lips then. "But why does a human like you have it?"

"You gave it to me," Rin murmured. He blinked at her, she smiled then. "You gave it to me a long, long, long time ago. I've always had it, you gave it to protect me soon after the first time we met."

"Hn?" he looked confused, she smiled as she straddled his hips and bent down to be close to him.

"Do not worry over trivial matters, you'll understand someday," Rin promised him before he came up to kiss her. She laughed when he rolled them over.

"You do not get to be on top," he growled out playfully. She giggled then she moaned, she even screamed as he teased her body to life again.

* * *

"My lady," she turned when she was called by a man. Takemaru came towards her then, she just stood as serenely as she possibly could for he was no doubt angry she had disobeyed his orders and gone about finding the herbs she'd need to heal that poor soldier. Takemaru was good at holding a grudge, he was still upset about her taking in Rin but she wasn't going to leave the poor child out in the cold. After all Rin had suffered enough.

"You blatantly disregarded my orders and went outside to get those herbs! In this weather and in this war Izayoi!" he shouted at her. And now he'd lay in with the yelling, the scolding, the overall torturous speech about how much he loved her and how he needed her. It all made her feel guilty, but not because of what she had done but rather the fact she did not love him.

"I'm sorry, it shall not happen again," she lied when he was done.

"It had better not. Now where is your guard?" Takemaru asked coldly as he assessed her.

"Rin is out," Izayoi replied honestly.

"Useless!" Takemaru shouted as he stomped off. "I shall have a guard assigned to you!" he called over his shoulder.

Izayoi frowned as she hurried out to the garden to climb the wall before the guard came. Since Rin had come she had learned less than ladylike behaviors and picked up a few of the habits Rin had. One being this climbing, Izayoi had to admit it was exhilarating to be sneaking out.

But she had things she wanted to do and creature she wanted to see again. Just to see if he were as handsome as she remembered. Deftly she fell to ground, though how Rin always landed gracefully was beyond her for she always felt like a klutz when she fell to the ground. Getting to her feet she hurried away to find him, smiling slightly as she hurried off into the forest before they could notice her absence. She made it to the same spot as the other day and looked around. It wasn't like she was expecting him to be here waiting for her, but she still wanted to see him. Just to know if he were real was all she wanted, Rin had treated him as if he were a trivial matter or something ordinary. But Izayoi could never recall seeing such a handsome creature in her life.

"Are you looking for something?" a deep voice asked which had her freezing on the spot. Did she want to turn around? Did she want to see him again? Did she want to see if he were merely an illusion or if he were real? She decided she did as she slowly turned to face him. He stole her breath away, he was so beautiful. There was no other way to describe him for he was truly magnificent to look at. He was looking at her with curious gold eyes.

"No," she shook her head as she looked him over. InuTaisho fell to the ground as he approached her.

"What is your name?" he asked her.

"Izayoi," she replied as she stared at his approaching face. He was so entrancing, she could see the reason to fear him but she didn't feel scared this time. She didn't think he'd hurt her, though why she felt that way she did not know because he was very threatening dressed as he was and being what he was. Still she felt very safe with him and being here.

"That is a beautiful name," he informed her with a slight smile on his lips.

"And what are you called?" she asked with a smile as she stared at him, she just couldn't look away from him. If Rin's lord was as beautiful as InuTaisho she didn't know how Rin could think or function because at this moment breathing was difficult for her. He was so beautiful! For some reason she could not get over this fact.

"I believe Lady Rin told you my name," he mused as a devious smile formed on his perfect lips.

"InuTaisho," she said as she smiled in return to him. He circled her, studying her though why she didn't know why he was doing this as she stood still. One wrong move and she had a feeling there could be trouble for her.

"You humans are so interesting." He murmured to himself as he stopped in front of her.

"How so?" Izayoi asked finally shaking herself out of her daze from his beauty.

"Do you not fear me, Lady Izayoi?" he asked as he grabbed her chin to tilt her head back.

"Should I?" she asked calmly.


	30. At A Beginning: Chapter 18

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Plan:**_ System for Achieving Objective; a method of doing something that is worked out in advance…_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village... (2 hours after Rin's departure down the Bone Eater's Well)**_

"He shouldn't even be moving, let alone sitting at that well!" Kagome hissed to her mate as they watched Sesshomaru. It had been a few hours since Rin had leapt down the well, Kohaku and Shippo both insisted she had looked right at them before disregarding them and leaping into the well. And in the hour since Sesshomaru had asked for Rin he had regained consciousness and come here. Now he was sitting guard at the well with Tenseiga in his grasp as he watched the well.

"I don't know Kagome, I did the same thing when you were gone." Inuyasha informed her.

"But were you cursed or dying!?" she snarled at him. She didn't want Sesshomaru to die! Though she didn't like him most of the time she didn't want him to die! He was an ass, he was a pain in the ass, and he was too protective and possessive of Rin for her to like him. But none of that meant she wanted him to die! Yet he had blatantly disregarded her orders for him to stay in bed and rest to come sit guard at the well.

"I wasn't curse, but I was dying, my mate was on the other side of that well. I can only imagine how Sesshomaru feels since I hadn't marked you yet." Inuyasha informed her as he pulled her bulky form into his lap.

"What's that mean!? Rin's his ward!" Kagome argued. To her knowledge Sesshomaru didn't view Rin in the light of mate and if he did that would be…weird. He had practically raised her! Wouldn't it be weird to Rin to be a mate to the human hating Inu no Taisho? And her guardian.

"Uh-uh, she's been his mate since as long as he's had her," Inuyasha informed her.

"_**He's a pedophile!**_" Kagome shrieked then, Sesshomaru coldly glared at her then and Inuyasha laughed. She just wanted to go over there and rip Sesshomaru's head off! How dare he harm Rin that way! Rin was sweet and kind and innocent!

"No Kagome, mate does not always mean sex," Inuyasha whispered in her ear as he held her and her nine month bulge to him. "Mate is companion, guardian, friend, equal, protector, and master. Rin has been his equal since she was his, she has always been his companion, he her guardian, they are friends and they protect one another, they are mates."

"And how do you know he's never had sex with her!?"

"I'd smell it," Inuyasha assured her. She frowned. She didn't trust Sesshomaru then.

"How'd you know they were mates?" she asked coldly, she had a mark on her shoulder which looked like a red crested moon.

"Takemaru," Inuyasha said it as if that were enough proof. Kagome frowned at the old name, the old memories, and the hatred he had directed at her and Rin. But how had that been proof to Inuyasha that Rin and Sesshomaru were 'mates' (thinking of them as mates felt weird to her), when it had only proven Takemaru hated human women with affections for yōkai.

* * *

To Inuyasha how Sesshomaru had handled Takemaru's and Sō'unga's attack on the child had revealed everything to him. Before the battle he had seen the mark but hadn't believed what he had seen so he ignored it, then during the battle he had seen Sesshomaru's actions. To him it had actually explained a lot about Sesshomaru's behavior towards Rin and her safety. Rin being Sesshomaru's mate actually made a lot of sense then, Inuyasha had witnessed Sesshomaru's true power and felt Sesshomaru's true strength only when Sō'unga had threatened Rin or when Takemaru had attacked the child. Despite what his brother claimed he only ever seemed interested in Rin's safety and protection.

In the heat of battle Sesshomaru had dropped everything, even their grudge match, to chase after the child. To him that had spoken volumes as to Rin's importance, her actual purpose in his brother's life. Rin was the thing Sesshomaru guarded, protected at all costs, even at the cost of his own wellbeing. Inuyasha had understood this devotion even better once he had marked Kagome, officially making her his. Before the bond was official the feelings and desires for marking their mates was overwhelming; to deny the desire was difficult and the year Kagome had been in his era before they defeated Naraku he had fought it as best he could. But it appeared Sesshomaru had never fought his desires to mark Rin.

And because his brother intentions always seemed genuine where Rin was concerned he would not interfere with it. Kagome on the other hand…there were reasons he hadn't mentioned it to her. Rin was always with Sesshomaru and always safe so why let his meddlesome wife interfere with something that always seemed…fated.

* * *

Sesshomaru did not like the meddlesome miko sitting guard as if he were going to do something stupid. Then she had dared to call him a pedophile! As if he would be attracted to a child! The memories swirled through his head then, following the human who served Izayoi. Rin, her name had been Rin and she was his Rin.

But how had his father known about Rin coming back to them then? Why was she still down the well? When would she return? He had missed her company, even craved her company as she was now. That first night…a night he had always thought about but never thought about because Takemaru had killed Rin. He had seen him kill Rin the first time, the those memories had surfaced the second time Takemaru had tried to kill Rin. There were some things about Rin he remembered from his youth, her company, her love, her loyalty, even the feeling over her in his arms. But then there were things he had forgotten which were reawakening within him lately.

His Rin, the child he had taken in.

They were one in the same. The realization for this was astounding to him. Had his father always known? Or had this all been fated? He wondered as he sat there waiting for her. He remembered taking her to the well, she had asked him to drop her into the well so she would return here at some point. Then he'd need Tenseiga, she had promised him he would save her. He just sat there twitching in irritation as he awaited her.

His last memories of Rin from his youth, before he had taken her in as a child, were of her bloody, dying, and smiling at him. She had tried to protect him, the foolish girl, and she had asked to come to the well.

He just needed to wait until she returned. Then he would be able to save her. He had to save her, he had many things he wanted with her. And all those old haunting memories, before he had hated Izayoi and his father with all he was…

There were so many things with Rin he wished to do and tell her because he hadn't the first or second time he had had Rin. Now she was fighting for him, he was fighting Magatsuhi's curse and he was remembering Rin from the first time he had met her. He wanted Rin back, he wanted her with him, he couldn't continue living without her if she disappeared on him again.

A smirk tugged his lips then.

So Rin, every Rin in his memories; the human girl; was all the same Rin. From the singing child, to his childhood defender, to his father's friend, to his first and only love, and the mysterious apparition who had haunted him for nearly five hundred years. The thought was amusing.

No doubt InuTaisho had planned this or knew about this before he had figured this out.

Perhaps Rin had told him all this.

Either way he only wanted her back at his side, he missed her. He always missed her.


	31. At A Beginning: Chapter 19

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Plan:** _System for Achieving Objective; a method of doing something that is worked out in advance…_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin followed Izayoi through the halls of Takemaru's home as they checked on the soldiers returning from the inuyōkai forest. She knew she should've felt bad for these men but all she felt was nothing as she helped patch them up with Izayoi. There was nothing for her to feel, the fools had gone into the forest they could endure the pain they had inflicted upon themselves. Still she would patch them up…

Now she was sitting there bandaging up some poor man's arm which would never be of use again seeing as how it was mangled beyond repair from the jaws of an inuyōkai. The best she could do was mend what was mangled but she understood that from Kagome's lessons muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves were all damaged beyond repair from teeth and poison. And though Rin did not fully understand what Kagome had been talking about she understood enough to know that this arm would never be a proper arm again. The man would be lucky to simply lift it, but she did not tell him that as she fixed his arm.

"He's gone, I am sorry," she heard Izayoi whisper to a woman who howled like an inuyōkai as she started crying. Rin stood and walked to the man Izayoi had declared dead then bent over his chest.

"No, his heart still beats," Rin informed Izayoi.

"Yes, but the wound in his chest is poisoned, he's going to die." Izayoi pulled the man's clothing back to reveal the ghastly green wound. A wound her lord had inflicted, she had once had the same wound from him when she had startled him. She knew what to do then.

"My lady, I need you to get me the following," Rin began listing everything she'd need to heal this man. He could live, but they'd need to act quickly for if this truly was a wound from her lord's poison he only had a few hours to live at the most. Takemaru grabbed Izayoi then.

"She is our healer and she does not take orders from a mere hand maid," Takemaru snarled as he forced Izayoi to sit again.

"Then I shall get everything I need," Rin snapped as she got to her feet. Takemaru painfully grabbed her arm.

"You have not been issued a command and shall wait until you have been given a command."

"The only commands I follow are from my lord, you are not him. Unhand me, I will save this man from you stupidity," Rin slammed the heel of her naked foot onto his. He released her, she hurriedly slipped out of his grasp as she carried Bakusaiga at her side to collect what she needed to heal the man. The salve needed was not a simple one to make but it was one her lord had taught her when he had accidently poisoned her. It was one she knew well.

After gathering everything she needed she hurried back to the man, Izayoi was ready to follow Rin's orders then. Rin barked out her orders as she deftly made the antidote to the poison which was eating away at this man's flesh. The pain was too great for the man, to Rin's relief she did not have to knock him out herself as she pulled a clean dagger then slit the wound open.

"What are you doing!" his wife screeched.

"To heal this poison one must put the salve inside the wound." Rin softly began spreading the cream over the rotting flesh, there was a hiss to her satisfaction as she spread this salve throughout the wound.

"Rin," Izayoi looked at her with worry in her eyes.

"The hiss is a good sign, he can be cured," Rin murmured as she continued healing the man. When she was finished she washed her hands then turned to the man's wife.

"You are his wife?" Rin asked the woman.

"Yes," the woman said softly as she looked at her husband.

"Good, administer this cream on the wound twice a day for a week after thorough cleaning. Be thorough about it even when he gripes about it hurting, and believe me ma'am this will hurt a great deal. If you run out come to me immediately and I shall make more." Rin handed the woman what cream was left over knowing the woman would come to her tomorrow in need of more and began making plans to make her some more tonight.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" the woman sobbed out as Rin stood to leave.

"It was not a problem," Rin bowed to the woman and Izayoi before grabbing Bakusaiga again and walking out into the light showering rain. She needed a moment without humans, just a moment to feel…clean again.

"You know an awful lot about inuyōkai poisons," she turned at the menacing voice snarling at her. She frowned at him but remained impassive to the best of her ability. Takemaru was terrifying to her but as a child he had swung Sō'unga to kill her for what would've been her second death if he had succeeded. But he hadn't, she had lived, she was still alive, and she would still be alive long after he was dead. She took a secret comfort in knowing her lord killed him.

"I am skilled in yōkai poisons," Rin replied. In truth she had a morbid fascination with their poisons mostly because of her lord. Her lord had seen this and had taken the time to teach her the cures for these poisons so she could save herself or Jaken (more often times than not she was saving Jaken).

"Who was your lord?" Takemaru asked.

"He is my lord," Rin replied coldly.

"And yet you serve my Izayoi as your lady," Takemaru pointed out.

"Yes, I serve Lady Izayoi but she is not my lady, she is a kind woman who was so kind as to give me a home while I work on a task given to me by my lord," Rin informed him coldly.

"So you are a spy," Takemaru pulled his blade, Rin had Bakusaiga out then.

"I have no use for petty humans or conflicts which have nothing to do with my lord or my task. And I would never stoop so low as to spy on petty, squabbling, miserable humans like yourself." Rin threateningly fell into a fighting stance, though Takemaru was larger than she by a lot she could take him. She was not a scared child anymore, he couldn't scare her.

"Enough!" Izayoi snapped at them, Takemaru glared at her but Rin remained indifferent. "I trust Rin, she is not here as a spy and she is here for a cure. As a skilled healer she came here in search of my assistance but when we took her in she did not know she had found me. She later returned when she was told she found me and asked for my assistance, I agreed to give her my assitance. She is not here as a spy, leave her be," Izayoi lied.

"Yes my lady," Takemaru grudgingly bowed to Izayoi and stalked off glaring at her. Rin sheathed Bakusaiga then looked to Izayoi when he was gone.

"You lied," Rin said coldly.

"Yes I did, but I do not believe you are a spy," Izayoi said coolly. Rin smiled happily at her then.

"I'm not, I have no interest in human affairs, thank you," Rin hugged the woman who would create one of her dearest friends then turned away to run for the wall. Leaping she climbed over the wall and fell to the ground before racing into the forest. Something in her just had to run for a while, just run at a sprint as she nimbly raced on.

There was a freedom in this moment she had missed from her time, in her time she couldn't do this as often. Kohaku would follow her, or Shippo would or worse Inuyasha would join her, and even Miroku would follow her. Rin did not want company all the time so in this time to be free to just be free was beautiful to her. Again she knew she didn't belong here and again she knew she shouldn't be here but she couldn't stop herself as she raced on.

"Running, human?" she slid to a stop to look at him.

"I like running," Rin informed him.

"Hn," he smirked.

"You like the chase, catch me if you can," Rin challenged him again. Knowing full well her lord would chase her, even here she knew he'd be so predictable as to follow her. She sprinted again, he crashed into her only when she had gotten a little ways away from him. Pinned, again, she stared up at him his serious amber eyes were assessing her coldly and his mouth only a whisper away from hers'.

"I caught you," he informed her, she smiled at him.

"You always catch me," she promised him before his mouth came crashing down onto hers'. This all felt natural to her for some reason, this Sesshomaru was her Sesshomaru and to her he was Sesshomaru. Always hers' and he always found her. Even when she didn't want him to as his mouth trailed down to the mark.

"You healed those humans," he growled out.

"Yes," Rin admitted.

"Why?"

"Because I could," Rin admitted. She'd do everything to heal them because she was a healer in her time. A great one, he was proud of her because she was a healer. She would heal everyone she could.

But she'd only save him.


	32. At A Beginning: Chapter 20

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Plan:** _System for Achieving Objective; a method of doing something that is worked out in advance…_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"Rin," she crack an eye open to InuTaisho standing in her quarters in the middle of the night.

"Go away, I'll come by in the morning," she grumbled as she curled up around Bakusaiga again.

"Rin," InuTaisho murmured again.

"You're not going away," Rin groaned out.

"No, come on," he gently helped her to her feet. Rin just groggily followed him holding onto Bakusaiga to the door to the outside, he scooped her up the leapt into the forest before she could scream or react. He landed nimbly outside of the compound then Rin just held onto him for dear life.

"You asked about the Shikon no Tama, it is located in a taijiya village in the mountains. Three days north if I carry you," he informed her.

"Oh," Rin yawned out as she rubbed her eyes and slid Bakusaiga on her robe belt.

"Are you coming?" he asked her in a curious voice.

"After I tell Izayoi, I am her servant at the moment," Rin pointed out as she started back to the keep. He snatched her up she yelped in surprise as she threw her arms around his neck. They landed outside of Izayoi's rooms.

"Come on," he dragged her into Izayoi's quarters then.

"Wait a second! You're not allowed in here!" Rin hissed at him but there was a mischievous glint in his golden eyes as she was dragged after him.

"Izayoi," he nudged the woman's shoulder then. Izayoi turned over blinked then scrambled back to scream when he slammed his hand on her mouth, Rin fell to the ground as she followed him with a crashing thud.

"InuTaisho!" Rin hissed at her father-in-law, he just smiled deviously at her then winked at Izayoi.

"I'm borrowing Rin for a week, we have a little business to attend to," InuTaisho informed Izayoi who blinked at them. "Nod if you understand."

Izayoi nodded then glared at him before he hiss to yank his hand back.

"Why'd you bite me!?" he snarled out.

"Why'd you smother me!?" she retorted, Rin just sighed for now she saw where Inuyasha's personality came from. So perhaps Sesshomaru wasn't a lot like his father like she had originally thought.

"Can I take her?"

"Rin?"

"My father-in-law and I have business to attend to." Rin informed Izayoi who merely blinked as did InuTaisho but it wasn't like she could exactly hide this mark his son had given her. It also did not help that Sesshomaru continuously claimed her as his mate and his and his human and his Rin; the only variation in whatever term he used where she was concerned was what he called her after his. To her it was as if what she was did not matter to him so long as she was his; it was the same in her time period; his, his and his. Sesshomaru had this strange habit of calling his and so she doubted InuTaisho had missed what she was to his son.

"That is right, I'll bring her back," InuTaisho promised with a charming grin, Rin frowned at his behavior since she knew where Inuyasha got his 'charms' now. Oh brother.

"Rin, do you want to go?" Izayoi asked calmly.

"I need to go, I shall return," Rin promised. "I make no promises about InuTaisho returning."

"Rin!" InuTaisho gaped at her, Izayoi giggled then and she walked back to her room to get a few things she'd need. She returned to Izayoi's quarters for InuTaisho to be openly staring at Izayoi and Izayoi trying to not look at InuTaisho. Rin just shook her head when he grabbed her.

"Let's go!" he hissed then leapt out of the compound with her in his arms, he let her go midair to transform but caught her on his back. Rin clung onto the thick heavy white fur of InuTaisho as he ran through the night.

* * *

Sesshomaru just watched her go.

He did not dare to follow Rin for then his father would know he had somehow bonded himself with a human though how he had bonded with said human. Sesshomaru just wondered how he had bonded with a human. And just how had such an amazing human had become his he did not know but he would be keeping her. He did not need to worry about his Rin being with his father for his Rin knew who she belonged to.

She would not stray from him.

Of that he certain. Rin was his and she'd always be his, of this he was certain.

* * *

InuTaisho did not know what to make of his son's mate. She was just an unusual human, an usual, fearless human who did not have an ounce of fear for him or his kind. He wondered if this was the nymph his son had once claimed saved him as a young pup. Then again he did not believe that particular story his son had.

The pup was only pup and slightly ill after that month in the mountains. Perhaps this human was the nymph, the creature, the beauty who Sesshomaru claimed had saved him without fear. Then again this human was a strange one. She was a wild creature and a complete, intriguing mystery to him. Not many humans were genuinely interesting to him.

* * *

Honestly!

Waking her in the middle of the night only to take Rin off to Kami knew where!

_**TAKE RIN!**_

Father-in-law!

What the hell was going on here? Izayoi sat up dumbly then staring out the window to where InuTaisho had taken Rin, what the hell!

What was Rin up to?

Honestly, the girl was always up to something but she was never obvious to what she was doing. The girl was going about her mission silently so she had not made a big deal out of what Rin's true motives were. But now the girl seemed to be tying herself to that InuTaisho, what was Rin doing? And how was InuTaisho her father-in-law?


	33. At A Beginning: Chapter 21

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Freedom:**_ Ability to Act Freely; a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions…_

* * *

**Chapter 21**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"You're not human," InuTaisho announced to her and she stopped midstride. They had stopped for him to rest for a moment because he would need rest, Sō'unga took up a lot of his energy.

"No, I am but I'm not," Rin said softly in agreement.

"What are you?"

"I am human but I've died twice. Once by wolves, they ripped me to shreds but Sesshomaru-sama saved me with your fang the Tenseiga. That fang had the ability to heal and bring people back from the dead but it was never the fang he wanted from you, he wanted Tetsusiaga but it was not the fang he needed. It was the fang you gave to your other son."

"I do not have another son nor do I have these swords the Tenseiga or the Tetsusiaga." InuTaisho was glaring at her then, she smiled softly at him.

"You'll create them of course, you asked Tōtōsai to make them from your fang." Rin knew this story well because she had listened to Master Jaken tell only a million and one times when she was a child. She knew why InuTaisho made the fangs, he made one to protect Izayoi and the other to heal his human mate. It was as if InuTaisho always knew that he'd need to pull her back from the netherworld to raise Inuyasha.

"So what are you?"

"I don't know, I'm not human," Rin smiled then. "But I'm living, I'm not a zombie like Kohaku was and I'm not a specter like Kikyo was."

"Then what are you?" InuTaisho persisted.

"I'm me, I don't know what that entails but I'm me. I'm not special, I'm completely and utterly normal and boringly so if you ask me. On top of that there's nothing remarkable about me on a normal basis aside from being resurrected by your son who used your fang which he detests to the very day in age I live. Sesshomaru-sama does not like that you left the sword of healing," Rin giggled.

"Why would I leave my compassionless son a sword for healing?" InuTaisho asked.

"To teach him a lesson, of course. It was also the only way he'd ever surpass you since you were not around for my lord to challenge. The test you gave him was to let go of his world desires to obtain the ability to surpass you, he had to let go of his grudge against you and his hatred and his desire to obtain Tetsusiaga to become the next Inu no Taisho and to obtain Bakusaiga," Rin said proudly.

Though at this moment he was paying the price for having let go of those desires. She'd never understand how he had let them go when he had been stabbed in the chest by Magatsuhi. But he had achieved the impossible and managed to become the next Inu no Taisho.

"Bakusaiga…your fang?" InuTaisho asked as he sat beside her and looked at the white sheath holding her lord's fang.

"Yes, it was only in letting go that he could obtain the supreme power he had craved," Rin explained this carefully for it could be important information for InuTaisho later.

"Hn," InuTaisho looked at his son's fang with an interest she didn't understand. "So why you?"

"Why me what?" Rin blinked in confussion at his question.

"Why did he save you with this…Tenseiga is it?" InuTaisho asked.

"I don't know, I never asked him why he'd save me." Rin admitted, InuTaisho frowned.

"There must be a reason?"

"He told me he was testing Tenseiga," Rin informed him and he gaped at her.

"_**WHAT!?**_"

"That's been his excuse since I was a child and he brought me back the first time. The second time it was InuKimi who brought me back from the dead using the Meidō Stone you stole from a Shishinki's family to her. If Sesshomaru had questions about the Tenseiga that would have the answers according to you," Rin informed him.

"Hn, you're an odd one Rin," InuTaisho grumbled.

"How so?"

"You're not human, I mean you smell, act, look and even taste human but your heart…" he trailed off.

"What about my heart?" Rin asked cautiously.

"It is as if you have my son's heart in your chest. You're heart beats to his rhythm, it is as if somehow your life were his life, I do not understand it though. I see you, you are clearly your own being but it is as if there is an invisible shackle beyond the mark that is binding you to Sesshomaru." InuTaisho gently pulled her collar back to reveal her mark. Rin frowned.

"I do not understand."

"I do not think that this Tenseiga brought back only your human soul but rather tied a bit of Sesshomaru's soul to yours as well. I do not know, all I know is that while you are human you are not human," InuTaisho explained.

"That makes no sense," Rin grumbled.

"And now you see my confussion but perhaps it is the fact that you are not completely human anymore that makes Sesshomaru like you," InuTaisho supplied.

"I don't know, I knew Sesshomaru before I died the first time and he didn't mind my being human. In truth he didn't seem to care, all he wanted was for me to leave him alone but as you can tell," she grinned then as she pulled her collar back down. "That never happened."

"Apparently not," InuTaisho agreed.

"So if I'm not human what am I?" Rin asked.

"I do not know, but I am interested to find out. You also seem to have slight minute traces of spiritual energy in you but that could just be from having your soul brought back to your body twice and I think that is what it is. But you Rin are a very strange human, strange enough that I wish to take you to Tōtōsai and ask some more questions about what you are after this trip to the Taijiya."

"Why am I strange?"

"You hold a yōkai's fang, a very powerful yōkai's fang without being harmed or possessed. I am curious to know more about you and what you are Rin but I shall first help you save my son," InuTaisho grinned at her. She smiled at him then.

"So you do care about Sesshomaru?' she asked as they resumed their journey.

"I shall ask the questions, Rin," InuTaisho playfully swatted her hair then, she smiled. Perhaps Sesshomaru was not as unloved by his father as he had originally thought. InuTaisho transformed again, Rin fearlessly climbed onto his back then they raced through the forest again.

If she wasn't human what was she? Rin wondered as they ran through the forest.


	34. At A Beginning: Chapter 22

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Freedom:**_ Ability to Act Freely; a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions…_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"Tōtōsai!" Inuyasha shouted as the old coot came flying down on his three eyed cow. He was going to throttle the old man because he felt as if they were being left out of the loop on something important here.

"Where's Sesshomaru?" Tōtōsai demanded in his breathy voice which had always grated Inuyasha's ears.

"At the fucking well! We can't get him to move!" Inuyasha snapped at the ignorant old coot. And he meant they could _**NOT**_ get Sesshomaru to move. In the past few hours since Rin had leapt back down that well and Sesshomaru had come to the well they couldn't move him. There was no 'sneaking up' on Sesshomaru because the bastard would just use his light whip on them; as Kohaku had learned the hard way. There was no 'ganging up' on Sesshomaru because the bastard; even when he was barely breathing; could take them all on and walk away with them in a heap of pain. And there was no fucking way he'd let Kagome near Sesshomaru in this state.

"So she did go down the well again, I'm surprised. InuTaisho always said she would but I didn't think she would, such a timid child." Tōtōsai looked over to the trees then.

"What the hell's going on?" Inuyasha demanded as he grabbed the old man then. True he was not overly fond of his brother but he didn't want the idiot to die because of whatever was going on, Sesshomaru was his family and Kagome was adamant that family was important. On top of that he and Sesshomaru were finally starting to get along and he kind of liked having a brother who had his back. He had never had one before and Sesshomaru was a good ally.

"It's began," Tōtōsai informed him. Inuyasha frowned.

"_**WHAT has begun?**_" he snarled out through clenched fangs. His claws were itching to rip the old man apart but he wouldn't because he did need Tōtōsai's answers.

"Everything, did you really think Kagome was the first through that well?" Tōtōsai asked hotly as he pried his claws away.

"Wasn't she?" Inuyasha asked now confused.

"The only way Kagome could ever come through that well is because of Rin," Tōtōsai said calmly.

* * *

Kohaku glared at Sesshomaru who had yet to leave the well, his ass still hurt from when he had tried to attack the bastard. Kohaku had forgotten about Sesshomaru light whip and if that failed there was always mokomoko to try to get around. It wasn't until one had to actually get around Sesshomaru that one truly realized how formidable he was. When he was your ally you were just grateful for his help and that he didn't hate you so much as to let you die a horrid death. But now that he was an advasary Kohaku was seeing why he was such a dangerous opponent.

Even weak like he was now Sesshomaru posed an enormous and dangerous threat to Kohaku's life expectancy if Kagome actually thought the idiot would listen to reason…

Kohaku had never had Sesshomaru as his adavasary and he didn't like it one bit. The new Inu no Taisho was definitely far more dangerous than he had originally thought, then again Kohaku only had hazey memories of when he had actively tried to hurt Sesshomaru or Rin. Most of his memories when he served under Naraku were fuzzy, as if they were committed by a different person. Not that it was an excuse but rather the truth, he was still trying to atone for his sins when he had been under Naraku's control. Rin had been the only one who had fully forgiven him, and he had distinct memories of having tried to kill her to hurt or cripple Sesshomaru. Though how that would've worked he didn't know, Sesshomaru hadn't even cried or cared when Rin had died in the netherworld so he didn't understand why Sesshomaru would've cared if he had successfully killed Rin or not. Kohaku was relatively certain Sesshomaru didn't care about Rin.

He was also certain Sesshomaru hated humans still.

So why was he sitting at this well not letting them help him when he didn't even care about Rin?

* * *

Tōtōsai sat in the nice little hut Inuyasha had built for Kagome and had to admit this was a nice little start to the shrine he knew would one day be here. He knew all of this because of Rin, he had known long before Kagome had ever even traveled down the well.

"So I'm not the first to travel down the well?" Kagome asked as she moved her heavy bulk to a comfortable spot.

"Not even close, Rin has you beat by several centuries and it's because of her that the well even time travels." At least he was certain it was because of her because not even his master would've had the powers Rin had had. He knew what she was, he knew when he had met the child traveling with Sesshomaru-sama. The child was the only creature who could have awaken the well, she was the reason it was even built all those centuries ago and the reason the inuyōkai had guarded it with a ferocity which had made them feared opponents.

Rin, the companion of the mightiest Inu no Taisho to have ever lived.

The first time he had ever seen the girl he had thought she was to be InuTaisho's companion, after all InuTaisho was the greatest Inu Daiyōkai to have ever lived but she had never stayed around him. In fact the first time he had met the human she had been standing over Sesshomaru-sama as a pup holding Bakusaiga at the throat of a very powerful Daiyōkai named Hyōga. She had been the one to instigate the Mongol invassion but she had foreseen InuTaisho's victory.

As a pup Sesshomaru hated everyone, everyone but that human. The human who was human but not human, the human who did not belong in their time but did, and the only human who had never feared to raise her fang at InuTaisho. Rin, the only human in his memory who had never feared a daiyōkai's wrath or any yōkai.

It was strange to think the timid child who had happily followed Sesshomaru-sama around with no bigger desires in life other than to be with Sesshomaru-sama for forever was the fierce fearless Rin who his master had come to care about and respect. Yes, everything that his master had known would come had come from the mysterious soothsayer Rin, whom he guarded closely when she was around. Rin had appeared through InuTaisho's life, and she appeared throughout his own memories. He just hadn't thought about her until recently when he had remembered the last time she had threatened him with Bakusaiga.

"What does that mean?" Inuyasha demanded impatiently of him.

"It means that Rin's travels were fated, whereas Kagome's were planned. My master knew about your infatuation with the human miko long before you were even born." Tōtōsai said calmly as he sipped the offered tea.

"Huh? I never knew my father," Inuyasha argued.

"He knew you, he knew Sesshomaru, he knew Kagome, he knew his death, he knew Takemaru, he knew everything and everything to happen all because of Rin." Tōtōsai remembered thinking Rin must have been a fake, for her ability to see the future and what she saw was ridiculous. A land without InuTaisho…impossible and then it had happened exactly how she had said.

"Huh?"

"Rin is the reason everything happened and now we must let her take her path alone." Tōtōsai explained calmly.

"What exactly is Rin doing?" Inuyasha asked him coldly.

"Rin is forging the path that brought you to Kikyo, the reason Kagome comes, the reason Sesshomaru is the Inu no Taisho of the inuyōkai clan and the reason you were even born Inuyasha. Rin is vital for any of this world to exist, and she did it long before Kagome came down that well, she made the well work. I built it for her, centuries ago. I thought master was crazy but it was built for her originally."

"Then when is Rin coming back?"

"I don't know, I never heard from her after Sesshomaru-sama dropped her in the well with that nasty stab wound, she had insisted he could heal her if he put her in the well."

"_**What!?**_"


	35. At A Beginning: Chapter 23

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Freedom:**_ Ability to Act Freely; a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions…_

* * *

**Chapter 23**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

InuTaisho stared down at the sleeping human he was traveling with and wondered just what she was. Rin was so strange compared to the other humans he had met, she was so fearless compared to him and she was free. It was as if there was nothing to hold her back and everything letting her be free. He envied her, yes he envied a human.

Rin curled around her katana, he pulled her collar down then to stare at the mark which amazed him. So this was his son's power to come…not even he would rival this power.

A mating mark was revealing to those who understood what it revealed and meant. To him this was fascinating as he studied his son's crescent moon mark embedded in Rin's pale skin. The mark just released this aura of absolute, supreme power and a bond that InuTaisho hadn't ever seen in a set of mates. No doubt if Rin felt threatened or alone Sesshomaru would come running to her side. When Rin was happy no doubt Sesshomaru was happy, and her love was probably the only thing his son really cared about. But the mark also revealed something about his son he hadn't ever expected: betrayal, pain, loneliness, longing, and possessiveness. Was this what his son felt?

InuTaisho stared at the girl as she slept curled around that white fang he longed to take from her to wield for himself. But it was his son's, it was proof of his son surpassing him but to him that meant nothing. InuTaisho stared at Sō'unga then. Rin had spoken of his fang being forged into two katanas, one the Tenseiga which she claimed had brought her to life after being killed and the other the Tetsusiaga to protect Izayoi and man. InuTaisho did not understand but he wanted to know more, Rin knew more than he had thought she could, he also wanted to understand his mysterious son Sesshomaru.

Since the day the pup had come into the world he had never understood Sesshomaru and Kami knew he tried to understand Sesshomaru! But the boy was just a mystery to him.

Sesshomaru had been a mystery to him since that winter so long ago just before the Mongol invassion. The pup had closed him off when he had laughed at Sesshomaru say a beautiful wild woman had saved and protected him that winter. But the pup had only been a pup and trapped in the mountains with moth yōkai trying to devour him. InuTaisho had always thought the story to be some wild story created by a scared child but now… and when he looked back on his memories, he wasn't too certain.

Make Rin a little older and she could be that soothsayer from so long ago; the one who had come out of that hole he had made to be the well.

Make Rin a little more ragged, a little more battle worn and she could be that human who had come to his aid against the Panthers.

Rin was such an interesting human but more interesting was what this mark on her neck was saying about her and his son. Had this mark always been there? Had she known what this mark meant, what she was? Did she understand who she was to his son? How well did she know his mysterious son? The son he could only practice swordsmanship with and patrol with, the son he could not bond with. His heir who he did not know but knew. Just how had Rin come to be Sesshomaru's mate when the mark seemed so old but she so new to this world? And just what was this power he sensed in her? What was this spiritual energy that made her different from any human he had ever met? What was this energy? It wasn't that of a miko or a monk or even of the dead and it wasn't a yōkai's power so what was it? Just who was Rin really?

Who was Sesshomaru really?

InuTaisho sighed as he pulled her collar to cover her mark. The girl pulled Bakusaiga closer to herself in her sleep then. He just wondered what he was going to do about this human for he liked her.

* * *

Sesshomaru ignored his rowdy pack mates as he walked through the forest on a patrol with them. Honestly they were so loud he didn't understand how this was a patrol as they goofed off and switched their forms at will. Did they not have self-control? He just ignored them as he walked through the forest.

Rin's face invaded his mind, he wondered when she'd return. He missed her, he longed for her, he wanted her and he wanted her company. Her smile was invading his thoughts, it was making him think of that mysterious woman who had saved and cared for him so long ago during that horrid winter when he had been poisoned.

Honestly why did these memories keep coming to him now? Now of all times in his life? All he wanted was to curl up with Rin in his arms and sleep with her. And make love with her, sex was fun and only a fool would deny himself the pleasure of bedding his mate. Sesshomaru wasn't a fool and had found his mate to be a wonderful bedmate though a bed rarely entered the equation with him and Rin. And he did not remember marking said mate to be his mate but she was his mate all the same.

Rin was his.

But why?

The question had him in deep thought as he walked with Chieko and Fumio; the loud idiots. They were irritating him as he tried to think of why he'd have marked a human woman as his mate but with all the noise they were making it was difficult to think.

"Sesshomaru!" Chieko crashed onto him then, Sesshomaru slipped out of his pack mate's grasp to glare at him.

"Bet he's thinking about Michiko," Fumio unwisely guessed. Honestly! Were they so shallow as to think he'd dare to be thinking about that shallow pest of a female? No, he was much happier with Rin as his mate than one like Michiko but he could not say that. To say that would reveal Rin, he was not one to reveal what he held dear to him and Rin was dear to him. Though he barely knew her it felt as if he knew everything about her; and not just her body. There was something about Rin he knew, something about her he understood better than anyone else could.

"No." He answered as he walked on through the forest.

"Uh-huh, I heard InuKimi is planning your mating to Michiko."

"No." He repeated, he would not mate another or any other but Rin. Rin was all for him and he felt content with knowing that.

"You know Sesshomaru you're no fun at all!" Chieko snapped at him.

"Hn." Was his reply, for he did not have to be fun for them or entertain them. So long as Rin thought him perfect as he was then did they really matter? After all Rin was his mate, and he had apparently marked her with a powerful mark. Power he knew he did not hold yet but desired as much as he desired his next breath. Still that power wouldn't mean anything to him without Rin.

Of this he was certain.

But why?


	36. At A Beginning: Chapter 24

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Freedom:**_ Ability to Act Freely; a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions…_

* * *

**Chapter 24**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin started at the fort in the mountain side, though Kohaku had taken her to the Taijiya village ruins before she hadn't ever thought the Taijiya village to be formidable. But looking at it now that it was alive it made her realize just how dangerous Sango's and Kohaku's Clan had been.

"I will not be accompanying you," InuTaisho informed her as he glared at the mountain side.

"I would never ask you too, I must take this part of the journey alone," Rin admitted. She had known that in the eyes of the Taijiya enlisting the help of a daiyōkai would make them think she was possessed. Carefully Rin looked at Bakusaiga then at the fort in the mountain side before she sighed, she'd have to be careful about how she acted now. Straightening her shoulders she took a deep calming breath.

"Rin, I have one question before I leave you to the taijiya." She turned to look at her father-in-law then. "Who raised you? You seem awefully comfortable with an inuyōkai like me rather than walking into a safe village of human taijiya."

"My family was slaughtered before my eyes by humans, humans ostracized me and left me to die when I was only six, I was saved and protected and raised by your son; Sesshomaru-sama when I was only eight. I fear no yōkai, I only fear humans," Rin said coolly then walked to the taijiya village. She folded her arms within her sleeves as she walked to the village, her heart was pounding with a terrible fear from her past for it had been a while since she had been around so many humans. Even at Takemaru's fort there hadn't been as many humans as what she was seeing here. The fear consuming her was paralyzing but if she were to save her lord then she'd brave this village for him.

"I'll wait for you in the forest," InuTaisho informed her.

"Thank you," Rin whispered as she walked forward.

"_**HALT! WHO GOES THERE!?**_" she looked up at a man who had an arrow notched and aimed for her heart. This was why she hated humans. They were superstitious!

"I am here to speak to Naohi," Rin said it in a cool clear voice which carried on the wind. The taijiya guards just blinked at her as she stood there. "I can come in the easy way or use my lord's fang and destroy you all before your time. Either way I will be speaking to Naohi."

"And who are you?" a man appeared then to roar at her.

"I could ask you the same," she retorted. She itched to use Bakusaiga but she would not. There was no need for bloodshed and according to Kagome tampering with time…it was dangerous. One wrong action and she could destroy the entire Taijiya village almost three hundred years too soon, Sango and Kohaku would never exist if she did that. And she did not want to destroy her time or her friends, but at the same time she only had interests in saving her lord.

"I am Muhai," the leader answered; at least she thought him to be the leader because he was speaking so loudly and clearly. He also looked slightly like Kohaku, she could see the resemblance.

"I am my lord's Rin," she bowed her head slightly for she was a humble follower of her lord. "And I am here to speak to Naohi."

"Lower your weapons! Let her in!" Muhai shouted as he disappeared within the village. Rin glanced over at InuTaisho who smiled at her and nodded encouragingly before he disappeared into the shadows of the forest. Rin turned back to the fort when they heaved the heavy doors open then. She inhaled sharply before a tall, lean man who looked exactly like Kohaku walked up to her. It was Muhai but the resemblance between him and Kohaku was uncanny to her; she had to remind herself he wasn't Kohaku. Though she had a feeling this was an ancestor of Kohaku and Sango. Still, there was something dangerous about the man before her, even for a taijiya and especially for a human. He kind of reminded her of Inuyasha, the air of danger around him. Rin reminded herself her lord was far more formidable than this taijiya, this man was nothing but a man and she could destroy him if he tried to harm her. She had Bakusaiga after all.

"Lady Rin," the man greeted.

"Just Rin, I am no Lady," she informed him. He blinked.

"I thought you said you were your lord's Rin?"

"I am, but I am not his lady," Rin clarified. She could never be his lady, though according to Sesshomaru she was his mate. But even then it wasn't important to her, to him she was simply Rin.

"To whom do you wish to speak to?" Muhai asked.

"The Shikon no Tama's Naohi spirit." From her lessons with Kaede she had come to understand that there were two spirits sealed within that accursed jewel. There were four souls within the jewel but there were only two spirits essentially; Magatsuhi who was a terrifying daiyōkai and Naohi who was supposed to be the spirit of purity. In times of the jewel's purity the spirit Naohi reigned superior and if anything would know how to cure Magatsuhi's curse then it would be Naohi.

"You know of the jewel?" Muhai growled out.

"Yes, I hate it but it has the answers I need at the moment." Rin genuinely hated the Shikon no Tama, it was the reason for so many horrors to come but she understood it was essential.

"Are you here to steal it for a yōkai?" the man's hand fell to the hilt of his sword then, she frowned.

"No," Rin answered. "And if you are wise you will remove your hand from your sword."

"Who are you really? What do you want? Are you a yōkai in disguise?" Muhai growled out.

"I am my lord's Rin, I wish to speak to Naohi, and I would never disgrace myself by disguising myself as a disgusting human like yourself; I'd have more pride if I were a yōkai and I am clearly not a hanyō." Rin hated that people always thought she was a human in disguise but at the same time she wished to be anything but human. Though according to InuTaisho she was the human who wasn't human.

"She is telling the truth, she's human, she even has spiritual energy!" a man shouted to Muhai.

"Are you a priestess?" Muhai asked.

"No," she snapped. Her impatience was increasing as she stood here with theses idiots.

"Then how do you know of the spirits within the Shikon no Tama?" Muhai challenged.

"I was taken in by a priestess who taught me much, now may I speak with Naohi or do I have to obliterate all of you fools just to speak with a spirit?" Rin asked in a low voice.

"You insolent woman!" a guard lunged for her. Before anyone could breath, or blink or think she had reacted on pure instinct. The man now trembled before her as Bakusaiga was pressed against his throat, a thin line of blood appeared on the man's neck from where she pressed the blade.

"I am insolent but so long as my lord does not mind I shall be as insolent as I please. Now my I speak with Naohi or do I have to destroy your village?" Rin snarled.


	37. At A Beginning: Chapter 25

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Freedom:**_ Ability to Act Freely; a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions…_

* * *

**Chapter 25**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"She's human," Rin looked up at the announcement to look at a monk. A monk who reminded her of Ungai, the bastard who had tried to take her from her lord as a child. Her eyes narrowed at him. "The weapon she wields though is a yōkai's weapon."

"What of it?" Rin challenged then. True Bakusaiga was her lord's fang and it was a yōkai weapon and for the most part it should be consuming her soul with how much sheer power it held but she was different from most humans. She could wield Bakusaiga, she had been the only one aside from Sesshomaru and Tōtōsai to even be able to hold it; it had nearly killed Jaken the one time he had touched it. Her being able to use it was a flux honestly, and then Sesshomaru had taught her how to use it so she wasn't a threat to herself but rather others. He had made her the best swordswoman of her era, he had made her strive to be the best because he was the best and she was his so she had to be the best she could be.

"If you use that blade it will devour you," the monk informed her.

"Not likely," she retorted. Tōtōsai believed she was somehow linked to the fang; her life her being and her essences was tied to it somehow, though how was beyond her. "Now, may I speak with Naohi or must I destroy you all to accomplish that?"

"Only the pure of soul can be near the jewel," Muhai shouted at her as she pressed Bakusaiga's blade a bit more firmly on the man's neck.

"She is pure of soul, pure as an innocent babe," the monk announced looking confused at this.

"May I speak to Naohi now that your spiritual advisor has announced that I am pure or should I just obliterate you all?" Rin asked coldly.

"Let her in," Muhai shouted at his men.

"Thank you," Rin quickly sheathed her blade before following Muhai into the taijiya village. It was alive, it was odd to her to be here and it be so lively but she guessed that it would've been lively before Naraku destroyed it. She had just never thought about it being alive or a home for anyone because it was just ruins in her time.

"Why do you seek the Shikon no Tama?" Muhai asked her.

"I do not seek the Shikon no Tama, I seek Naohi," Rin clarified. Her interests were not in the jewel but rather in what lay within the jewel. She just desired to save her lord and the only way to learn how to counteract Magatsuhi's poison would be speaking to his counterpart; Naohi. There were no doubts in her heart that Naohi had what she sought.

"Do you not desire the jewel?"

"No," Rin said firmly. The jewel was the cause of so much pain and horrors and lives being destroyed that she did not desire to have such a curse with her. But it was at the same time a necessity to her time. If it wasn't for the Shikon no Tama then Kagome and Inuyasha would never have met, her lord would never have resurected her, and she'd have never been with her lord. The jewel was necessary for her time, but that did not mean she had to like the jewel.

"Then what is it you seek?"

"I seek answers about Magatsuhi," Rin replied.

"You aren't going to unleash Magatsuhi are you!?" Muhai glared at her.

"I am not so foolish, I need answers though and Naohi should have them."

"Answers for what?"

"A cure," Rin murmured.

"Well why ever you need the Shikon no Tama know that if you try to taint it or take it or use it to benefit you we Taijiya will destroy you."

"I'd want nothing less, but I have no use for that accursed jewel." Rin decided long ago, as a child actually she did not need anything to make her better, she was perfect as she was even if her greatest flaw was being human. She would be like her lord, she was perfect as she was and there was nothing needed to make her better.

"You'd expect us to destroy you?"

"I'd expect you to try," Rin clarified. She doubted they could because she was not the easiest human to kill. Sesshomaru had trained her after all and he did not want her to die a third time unless it was her time. She would be a formidable foe for the Taijiya; after all she could best Sango and Kohaku with ease when they attacked her simultaneously. And with Bakusaiga at her side she would not die easily.

"Here is the shrine for the Shikon no Tama," Muhai jestered to the cave. Rin bowed her head slightly to this man before walking in. The man gaped after her, though why she didn't know. Was there some sort of test here? Shrugging off her wonders about Muhai's reaction to her walking into the cave she walked on through the winding tunnel. She came upon a beautiful, sad and magnificant sight of a woman surrounded by yōkai trying to devour her fighting with her swords. There was a hole in the woman's chest where her heart would've been.

So this was Midoriko.

Rin looked at the sad sight before her and was thankful this was not to be her fate and even more grateful Kagome had destroyed the Shikon no Tama and Inuyasha had saved her. No doubt this had been a painful, sad death for a great spiritual leader like Midoriko.

"Midoriko," Rin bowed her head to the woman then walked up to the jewel glittering on a little pedestal.

"I need your help, please lend me your wisedom," Rin murmured softly as she picked up the Shikon no Tama. There was a blinding flash, a searing heat and then something pulled her within the jewel. She'd have screamed but when she looked back she saw she had left her body, her soul was again yanked into the depths of the unknown as she was dragged into the jewel.

"Who are you?"

Rin turned to look at a beautiful floating woman dressed in armor with her swords at her sides. Rin's hand fell to her sword; Bakusaiga had come with her to this cursed place to her relief.

"I feel your hatred for me, why? I do not get many visitors, few with spiritual energy ever get called within my prison but you came and you do not have spiritual energy. So why do you hate me?"

"I do not hate you, I hate your jewel. I came for answers." Rin just stared at the sad soul of a once great woman who had been destroyed because of a man's lust. And she felt nothing at the sight of the woman.

"What answers?"

"I must save my lord from Magatsuhi's poison," Rin said.

"And what is your lord?"

"My lord is Sesshomaru-sama the greatest Inu no Taisho to have ever lived."

"You serve a yōkai!" Midoriko shrieked then lunged at her with her swords drawn, Rin pulled Bakusaiga. There was a thunderous boom within the jewel that had both spirits flying from each other.

_**What the hell had just happened!?**_


	38. At A Beginning: Chapter 26

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Force:**_ Natural Strength; the power, strength, or energy somebody or something possesses_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin rotated in the nothingness to see the shock on the beautiful woman's face as she stared at her. Instinctively her fingers tightened their hold on Bakusaiga. Midoriko's spirit just gaped at her.

"You are truly pure?" the spirit whispered.

"How am I pure?" Rin asked, she was relatively certain she was the farthest thing from pure since she had been raised by her lord and Inuyasha's pack.

"Your intentions, you truly have no desire to use this jewel for yourself or you yōkai lover. You seem only interested in saving him."

"That's what I said! I don't even like the Shikon no Tama, it's cursed," Rin snapped. Was it truly so hard for someone to believe that someone did not wish to obtain the Shikon no Tama? It was a true pain if you asked her because if she really wanted the jewel she'd have to be desperate or her lord truly close to death.

"You are a strange human," Midoriko's spirit announced as she sheathed her sword then.

"I'm strange, I like it. Now how do I save my lord?" Rin asked softly as she sheathed her lord's fang then.

"Tell me how your lover was poisoned," Midoriko ordered.

"Well it begins a long, long time from now to the time when I was just a girl…" and so began Rin's recounting of the events leading up to her lord's curse. She was careful in how much she told Midoriko and she was careful as to what she said because she could not alter what was to come.

* * *

InuTaisho stared down at the Taijiya village, this was not his favorite lot of humans but he was certain that if Rin were in any true danger he could've demolished them. It was strange how precious Rin had become to him over the course of the last few weeks. And while he didn't think of her how he thought of Lady Izayoi he was truly fond of his son's mate. The only thing Rin insisted he not do was tell Sesshomaru about her or him knowing her, apparently it was imperative his son not know that he knew about her. Rin seemed to fear some consequence in her time if Sesshomaru knew that he knew about her. Apparently time was a manipulative force Rin did not wish to tamper with.

Though InuTaisho did not really care about time, he was happy his son at least had a mate who obviously loved him. Because honestly InuTaisho did not think anyone or anything would ever be able to love Sesshomaru.

He stared down at the village when the beautiful human woman's face invaded his mind. Izayoi, he wondered what she was doing at this moment… Strange how she plagued his thoughts and he only really knew her through Rin. Perhaps he should change that. He rather liked the thought of seducing that beautiful human, her beauty rivaled InuKimi's and her mannerisms were so refined. Kami knew InuTaisho liked shiny pretty things and this human happened to fit his criteria for beautiful and shiny and pretty. He wanted her.

Yes, when he returned with Rin he would go about seducing Izayoi. That sounded like it would be fun and entertaining and thoroughly rewarding. No doubt once he got her to lose her dignity he could make the woman scream with pleasure. He could also make her go wild and lose control…

Seducing Izayoi would be most entertaining and rewarding. He was looking forward to it but for now he'd worry about his daughter-in-law who was currently in the heart of enemy territory. There was little doubt in his mind that if he was responsible for Rin's death or any harm befell her there would be no stopping Sesshomaru's wrath and he did not wish to find out how powerful his son truly was.

* * *

There was no need to worry about Rin, she was certain her new friend was perfectly safe because Rin had proven herself capable of protecting herself. Still this did not stop her worries as she sat there in her herb garden pulling up the offending weeds. Just what did Rin by father-in-law? Izayoi did not think Rin was married but could she be wrong? The girl was so young, she didn't think Rin could be more than thirteen or fourteen and for her to be married…the thought was shocking but no appalling.

It wasn't unusual for girls as young as thirteen to be married, after all they were of the breeding age. What was unusual was to be like her, to be nineteen and to be unwed. But that was by her choice because Kami knew she did not wish to marry Takemaru. Still, hearing Rin had a father-in-law was shocking and considering that father-in-law was an inuyōkai made her most curious about her handmaid. Just who was Rin really?

"Milady," she turned to look at a servant. "Takemaru wishes to have a word with you now."

"Yes," Izayoi sighed then looked at her garden before getting up. No doubt he'd want to discuss their marriage to come. That's all he seemed focused on as of late.

* * *

Sesshomaru knew he was pathetic as he had been slipping into that human fortress nightly to sit in Rin's room because it held Rin's lingering light translucent scent. Kami above did he miss his human and for some reason he seemed to be craving her company. It was as if he had been reunited with her after centuries of being parted and now she was gone again. But he had little worries, she'd be back for him. Their first night she had whispered she loved him, she'd be back.

He was relatively certain she was the only creature in this world to love him so she had better return to him. Else he'd just have to track her down and drag her back to him, because Kami knew he needed her with him. She was his after all and she would be with him if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

"You're intentions are so pure, I did not think a human could be so pure…" Midoriko sighed then. "You will not change what is to come though I would wish you to do so, but since you do now seek power I shall try to help you save your lord."

"Thank you," Rin bowed her head slightly then.

"But it will not be easy, Magatsuhi is not so easily defeated."

"How do I save my lord?"


	39. At A Beginning: Chapter 27

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Force:** _Natural Strength; the power, strength, or energy somebody or something possesses..._

* * *

**Chapter 27**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin walked with Muhai then slowly as she processed what she had learned from Midoriko's spirit Noahi. So there was a way to save her lord, Rin just wasn't certain if she could do it without tampering with events to come.

Sesshomaru hadn't taught her much about the past, his past or Inuyasha's parents', and if she were to do as Noahi had instructed then she'd be tampering. She wasn't certain that was a good idea, one wrong move, one wrong phrase, one wrong misdirection and she could destroy everything she lived with in her time; including herself. There would be a great risk in what she'd be doing but she was certain that if she did nothing then Sesshomaru would die and that was not something she could live with.

"You really were pure," Muhai finally voiced.

"Huh?"

"You're pure."

"What does that mean anyways?" Rin snapped.

"Your intentions with the Shikon no Tama they were pure. The balance within the jewel, the purity of it all depends on how people or yōkai or hanyō intend to use it. Purity is not a state of being but rather in intentions. If one has good intentions for the Shikon no Tama then it stays pure, if one's goal is for power and destruction then they defile the jewel making it impure. In the end people are not pure, but some people's intentions are. It appears your intentions were truly pure for you connected with the Shikon no Tama." Muhai blushed when he looked away from her. "It was most interesting to see you and Midoriko."

"You saw us?" Rin asked skeptically.

"Yes I did, your spirits were visible above the jewel; I have no idea what you two discussed but it seemed very serious."

"It was." Rin murmured as they walked on.

"Rin, I do not know what you are doing and frankly I do not care but I do not believe I have ever met a woman as beautiful or as loyal as you. If you would like you could stay here, the taijiya could always use someone of exceptional skill and of the right mentality."

"No, my loyalty and my life belong to my lord, I owe him everything and besides," Rin turned to look at the Taijiya Village then. "None of this needs me."

"You never know Lady Rin," Muhai was giving her a mysterious look then.

"I do know, I am not a soothsayer for nothing!" Rin shouted over her shoulder as she began walking back to the forest where InuTaisho was probably waiting for her. Smiling she ignored Muhai behind her as she walked into the forest.

* * *

He wanted Rin, he wanted her so badly as he watched her walk away from him. Her round hips swayed, her long legs carried her small frame and her tangled black hair bounced with every step she took. She was a truly beautiful sight before him as strutted into the yōkai forest with a slight smile on her lips. Lips he wanted so badly to kiss. It was seriously difficult for him to focus when he had been around her. Still, there was something strange about her.

How could she turn all of this down? Here he'd treat Rin like a princess, he'd give her anything in the world if she'd just be his. He wanted that woman, he wanted to feel her in his arms and to make her scream at night in pleasure.

* * *

InuTaisho landed beside her, she didn't jump in shock as they walked silently through the forest. She sensed her father-in-law's thoughts were lost in some distant corner of his mind much like Sesshomaru's often was. Used to this Rin decided to think about planning how to save her lord and not to interfere with any of what was to come.

"How'd you meet Sesshomaru?"

"Wha…? Where'd that come from?" Rin blinked at InuTaisho as he walked beside her.

"You mentioned that he saved your life, how?" InuTaisho asked. Rin sighed, would it matter if she told him about Tenseiga? Or Tetsusaiga? He'd be making them either way and they were something she understood. Much like she understood Bakusaiga she understood her lord's father's fangs.

"You will create two powerful swords, forged from your own fang, the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga. I do not know why you created them, nor do I particularly care, but you created them all the same. The Tetsusaiga, the sword of destructions, was created by you to defend mankind, it is a powerful fang and a formidable weapon. The power that sword wields almost rivals Sō'unga, almost. You used that sword in battle and conquered many enemies, it was also the thing Sesshomaru-sama desired most. With the Tetsusaiga you also forged the Tenseiga, the sword of healing—"

"What does this have to do with him saving you?" InuTaisho cut her off. She smiled, so this was where Inuyasha's famous patience came from. The knowledge was most amusing to her as she fought of her laughter.

"Everything, and if you would listen I would continue!" Rin scolded. He slouched slightly.

"Fine," he grumbled.

"Honestly you are worse than your son," Rin rolled her eyes.

"I said continue."

"No you said fine but I shall continue, if you do not interupt me again."

"Alright, alright, continue tell me more!" InuTaisho smiled at her then, a feral wild smiled which made her think of Inuyasha. Most of the mysteries as to where Inuyasha's gruff behavior had come were cleared up for her now.

"You created the Tenseiga for healing. The Tenseiga possesses a unique ability of cutting down the messengers of the Netherworld and returning a soul to a body only once. It is because of this that you are to become a formidable opponent. You carry three swords, the Sō'unga, the sword from the netherworld; the Tetsusaiga, the protector of man; and the Tenseiga, the sword of the heavens. When you decided to give your sons your fangs you bequeath the Tenseiga Sesshomaru-sama; not the Tetsusaiga. According to the master swordsmith, Tōtōsai, you left the Tenseiga to Sesshomaru-sama compassion. It is because you were trying to teach him compassion that he saved me.

"I meet Sesshomaru-sama when I am almost eight. He had battled his brother and was badly wounded, he was not happy to be cared for by a human pup. At first he tried to scare me off, then he ignored me, but I was always ignored so how was I to tell him I was used to his treatment of me? I was mute at the time, I had nothing to say to the villagers and after seeing my family slaughtered before my eyes had no voice left in me. But I tried to care for you son despite his cold treatment of me, about three days after our little…arrangement of me bringing food and him not eating it he asked about some bruises I had received.

"The night before I had tried to steal a fish from the reserve for Sesshomaru-sama so perhaps he could have a decent meal. But I was caught by the humans and beaten for stealing the fish then beaten again because I made no sound for the beating they had given me for stealing the fish. I limped to my lord with what minimal food I had scrounged up for him and he asked about my bruises. It made me ridiculously happy to know he was curious enough to ask, mostly because he insisted he didn't care.

"Later that week an ookami controlling wolves attacked my village after something to make him more powerful. He ordered his wolves to destroy my village, I ran into the forest after my lord because I had hopes Sesshomaru-sama would protect me even though he clearly did not like me."

"Did he?"

"No," Rin whispered softly as the images of teeth and blood slashed through her mind.

"_**WHAT!?**_"

"I was dead when he came back for me, though I do not remember dying. He told me I had not been dead long, my blood had been fresh and the gremlins from the netherworld were still at my body. According to him Tenseiga pulsed as if it had it's own heartbeat demanding he cut the minions down. When he did my body began healing, he lifted me up in his arm and slowly I came back to life. After that I followed your son, I have always followed him and I always shall. But I have you to thank because if you had not forged the Tenseiga and the Tetsusaiga I would not be here to save my lord."

"You speak of me as if I am dead in your time, why?"

"Because you are," Rin mumbled as she sheepishly looked up at him. She was terrified he'd be upset by this news but he merely looked thoughtful as they walked through the forest.

"And this other son I have, who is he and what is he like? I do not have another son," InuTaisho pointed out.

"I cannot tell you everything the future holds for I do not know entirely what the future holds. And I most certainly cannot tell you about Inuyasha," Rin smiled then.

"So his name is Inuyasha?"

"I cannot say for certainty you son's name will be Inuyasha," Rin said happily. Inutiasho smiled before he slung an arm around her shoulders.

"I like you Rin, my son got a good mate," InuTaisho declared. She felt her face burn with a blush.

* * *

InuTaisho would not tell Rin why his son had acted the way he had when she had died, for InuTaisho knew only too well what it signified. But he'd have a talk with Tōtōsai about forging these swords from his fang as Rin had claimed he had done. It wasn't a bad idea, using Sō'unga all the time was tiring and taxing and draining. The amount of control he needed to keep the sword from consuming him was unbelieveable.

He looked down at his son's young mate and smiled to himself.

Rin was definitely a unique human who wasn't a human. So it was because of Tenseiga she had this slight spiritual energy. He'd have to create Tenseiga and test it out to see if that the true case. But he was most curious about his death, then again some things were best left to mystery. After all he had already lived a long and full life filled with its own adventures and misdeeds.

But he would not mess up his son's future with this adorable human girl who clearly loved him more than he could ever understand.


	40. At A Beginning: Chapter 28

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Force:**_ Natural Strength; the power, strength, or energy somebody or something possesses..._

* * *

**Chapter 28**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

To say Sesshomaru was expecting a challenge was a little much as he stood in his father's home holding a practice sword while staring at Chieko who was his opponent today. His father had returned last night and wished to witness his progress first handedly. All Sesshomaru wanted was to slip away and find Rin. But the alpha's orders were final.

So he'd make this quick because he did not have time for this.

Chieko's greatest flaw…his impatience. Sesshomaru knew that all he had to do was wait and Chieko would charge him and this would be finished in two strikes. One to knock Chieko off balance and the other to defeat him. Then Sesshomaru was going to hunt up Rin and he was going to talk to her about what she was doing with his father. To his greatest relief his father had not returned here smelling of Rin, true her scent lightly lingered but her natural scent was so light few would detect it. To him though it was a powerful intoxicating perfume he couldn't ignore even if he wanted to. So at least his father was not drowned in Rin's scent, it was a liberating relief to him.

Just as he predicted Chieko made the first move, he roared as he charged him. Sesshomaru sidestepped, whacked his opponent on the back to send him stumbling then when Chieko turned his bamboo practice blade was at his throat. Sesshomaru's face revealed nothing about his victory, Chieko's eyes though burned with disappointment and determination.

"Next time, I'll beat you next time," Chieko grumbled when the match was called.

"Hn," was his reply mostly because he did not care about the next match.

"Sesshomaru is the victor," InuTaisho declared. He said nothing as he looked at his father.

There was nothing revealing in his father's amber eyes as they stared at one another. Tossing the practice sword away he turned to walk away.

"Sesshomaru! Where are you going!?" his father shouted at him.

"There is no need for me to be here, the match was won," he replied before he enveloped himself in light energy then disappeared into the forest. He ignored his father, he ignored his pack mates, and he ignored everyone. There was someone far more important for him to see and he would not be leaving her alone because they all wanted to challenge him in an attempt to finally beat him.

It had been this way since his puphood. But unlike them he'd practice, and practice, and practice until it was perfect, then when it was perfect he'd perfect it even more to the point of him being a flawless fighter. There was no one who could best him, he had seen to that a long time ago. But unlike what Chieko and Fumio thought he had worked hard for this perfect whereas they insisted he did nothing. They did not know of his long endless night practicing.

The woman who had protected him that winter had been his inspiration for achieving his perfection. She had also said to gain perfection he had to practice for nothing was ever perfect without practice, and she'd help him learn perfection. After that he had strove for perfection and when he was alone he had practiced until his hands bled, his body ached and his mind could not take more then he'd continue. Pushing himself, always striving for better because one day the woman said he'd be her protector and until then she would protect him. But he did not need to protect anyone now, there was no one aside from Rin for him to protect.

"Good night milady," Rin's voice reached his ears and soothed him immediately. He instantly stopped perched above his Rin and stared down at her. She was the only creature he'd protect, not that he was going to say anything to that affect. If she knew he was protecting her then she just might laugh at him and that was not tolerable to him. He would never be laughed at for doing what was right, and he was protecting his mate.

Rin walked a little ways then climbed over the castle wall, he frowned at his mate's unladylike behavior but smirked at the ease of which she did it. Landing in the forest he followed her, he was careful to keep his distance and to give her her space but he so badly wanted to jump her. Finally Rin stopped at the hot spring then turned around to face in his general direction. He did not think his human knew he was here, how could she? She was only human after all.

"I know you're there my lord," she announce, he frowned but didn't go to her.

"Alright," she mumbled then turned to the hot spring. His mind turned to mush when she let her clothing drop to the grass and she stepped into the hot spring. He couldn't take it anymore! Before he really thought about what he was doing he silently slipped over to his mate's pile of clothing.

"Rin," he greeted.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she tilted her head back to smile at him. He knelt down to her level and kissed her. Kami how he'd missed her. But why did it feel like she had been gone centuries rather than a week? He didn't know as he continued kissing her.

* * *

Rin was laying in Sesshomaru's arms then as she stared at the night sky. Closing her eyes she wondered if she could do the tasks that Naohi had given her. Could she pay that price if it came down to that? This Sesshomaru, the Sesshomaru from her time they were one in the same and she loved him no matter what but could she do what Naohi had asked of her? Rin looked at Sesshomaru, he was sleeping for a change and it was probably the first sleep he had had in a week.

Her lord didn't sleep often and she remembered the few times he did sleep he usually held her to him. As a child she had slept with him, and as a young girl she had liked cuddling with him and now as his lover she knew it brought him peace. Sesshomaru was the emotional or affectionate kind male to begin with so since he liked holding her the few times he'd sleep it meant a great deal to her.

Rin sighed then as her resolve came about.

She could do this, she could and she would do this no matter what. Though she was certain things would never be the same after wards because once she started she'd be on the path of the unknown and she wasn't certain what to think about that.

Either way, Sesshomaru and she would most certainly never be the same after this. Gently she brushed her lips against his as he slept. He twitched and pulled her closer to him, she closed her eyes.

She'd save him. No matter what the cost she'd save him. Because she loved him.


	41. At A Beginning: Chapter 29

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Force:**_ Natural Strength; the power, strength, or energy somebody or something possesses..._

* * *

**Chapter 29**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Izayoi would admit, to herself at least, that what she was doing was so wrong but so right at the same time. Granted she'd never have Rin's predator grace in this but at least she was free to try to escape. Strange enough her escape had worked, though she hadn't expected it too with the loud crash she had made from her landing. Seriously! That had hurt! She was relatively certain her butt was going to be a brilliant shade of purple with the landing she had made today.

Walking silently through the forest she wondered if she should've told Rin she was leaving the fort or not. Probably not, she had a feeling Rin was out tonight for Rin rarely seemed to be there. It wasn't unusual for Izayoi to walk into the garden to find Rin sleeping there with that katana of hers' or Rin would be resting in a tree or even in the forest. It seemed almost impossible for Rin to be in the keep during the night. For that reason alone Izayoi rarely told Rin about her outings. Alright, Izayoi never told Rin about her outings into the night forest but it was because it was an adventure.

And she had this vain hope of seeing InuTaisho.

Strange, she knew, but the strange silver man just called to her. She couldn't seem to resist him and she didn't seem to want to resist him though why she didn't know. So here she was, walking through a dark creepy forest at night just waiting to be devoured by some yōkai or something. Great Kami was she pathetic! All of this just for a chance to see a yōkai who probably didn't even know she existed! Izayoi chided herself for her stupidity as she turned around to return to the fort before any of the guards, or worse, before Takemaru, discovered she was missing. Rin missing was normal, her missing…that was not as normal. Grumbling in an undignified and unladylike manner she stalked back through the forest towards Takemaru's home.

"And where are you going?" a deep voice rumbled behind her. She froze mid-step then peeked over her shoulder to the owner of the voice.

He was leaning casually in a tree staring down at her, she just blinked then turned around to look at him. His silver glory and golden eyes had her captivated as she stood there dumbly, she could just stare at him all night and be happy about it. He was such a handsome, beautiful, surreal creature in her mind that she loved just looking at him. But it was rude to stare openly at someone so she tried to look away from him, she couldn't.

"We meet again Lady Izayoi," he mused as he landed in front of her with ease. Seriously! How was it everyone was so graceful and she was not!?

"I-I-InuTaisho!" she stuttered out trying to shake herself out of her daze.

"What are you doing out in this forest this late at night?" he asked as he caught her chin, she just stared at his brilliant eyes. He was certainly not created for this world, just look at his beauty and his perfection! How was Rin able to function or think if she had been surrounded by a beauty like InuTaisho's? And how was InuTaisho Rin's father-in-law?

"I was walking," Izayoi mumbled.

"Mmm, that sounds pleasant but I saw you sneak out of the fort," InuTaisho mused. She blushed, so he had seen her come crashing onto the forest floor. Great! She wasn't certain what to think about that particular embarrassment now. Before she had been able to tolerate it because she had thought herself alone and no one around, but now…

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone and next time I'll catch you," he smiled devilishly then.

"And why would you do that?" Izayoi asked in a soft voice. Why would an inuyōkai; who was her sworn enemy; care about catching her before she fell on her butt?

* * *

InuTaisho smiled at the innocent curiosity he saw in the young woman's eyes. He loved that look, he had found himself liking watching her for her every reaction and expression. Who knew humans could be such lively creatures?

"Because I happen to have a soft spot for pretty women," InuTaisho informed her. Her blush deepened; no doubt she thought he couldn't see it but he was an inuyōkai and he saw it plain as day. He liked it.

"I'm not pretty," Izayoi mumbled.

"No, you're gorgeous, beautiful, enchanting, enticing, seductive, innocent, and curious," he mused. With each word she became redder and redder, he liked this.

"How are you Rin's father-in-law?" Izayoi asked pulling herself from his grasp. He regretted her actions, his fingers missed the electric thrilling warmth he had had from touching her. But he placed his hands behind his back as he walked beside her. He'd be a perfect gentleman, or dog, either way he would not jump the beautiful, nervous, human girl beside him because she was not like Rin and had an obvious healthy fear of inuyōkai. Honestly he did not like Izayoi's fear of him, he'd have to figure out how to make her comfortable around him.

"She's mated to my son," he shrugged. Which was still odd to him because Sesshomaru hated humans and everyone for that matter. But since he knew Rin he understood, Rin was easy to love and it was hard not to love her and if her story was the truth he knew now why Sesshomaru was always so different from him. Many things about his son were beginning to clear up now because of her.

"Oh, what's mated mean?" Izayoi asked.

"She's his mate," InuTaisho said indifferently, Izayoi frowned.

There was no other way to explain it for her, because he didn't know how else to put it. He didn't know what human's called their mates or if they even had mates. Obviously they participated in some form of mating because he had seen enough human pups in his life to know there was some form of mating involved to create those human pups.

"Alright, so she's your son's mate," Izayoi conceded.

"Uh-huh,"

"Are you mated?"

"No," he replied. He had never felt that mystical tug that mated pairs spoke of, true he felt sexual desires for females but he was male so it was natural. But to feel the emotional desire to be with one particular female…he had never felt that. At least his son had a mate, InuTaisho didn't need to worry about that anymore as he walked with Izayoi.

"But you have a son?"

"Yes."

"How?"

He burst into laughter.

She blushed furiously.

He liked Izayoi.


	42. At A Beginning: Chapter 30

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Force:**_ Natural Strength; the power, strength, or energy somebody or something possesses..._

* * *

**Chapter 30**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

She wasn't certain this was a good idea as she stood there on the rim of the well. She didn't have anything against time travel but it could be most taxing to try to figure this all out. All she wanted was a moment, a moment where she could be at peace and alone to think through the tasks Midoriko had given her. This would be no easy quest, of this she had no doubt.

But then the things most worth doing in life were seldom times easy.

This was one of those things. It would not be easy, she had no doubt that she'd shed a lot of tears and live with a lot of heart break but the point was it'd be worth it. If she didn't die trying to achieve her goal before Magatsuhi's curse consumed him.

Sighing she stepped off the ledge of the well and started walking back to Takemaru's keep, though she didn't really wish to return there. She was silently slipping through the forest and the rain before her lord caught onto the fact she was here, if he found her here he'd likely snatch her up and steal her away to some secluded area for his own purposes and pleasures, not that's she'd mind. There was a problem with the fact that she seemed to enjoy his administrations on her body. But the dose for the tea to ensure she did not get pregnant was difficult to measure, she did not know how fertile she was and Kagome said a male's sperm count mattered as did the woman's fertility and timing in the ovulating cycle.

To Rin this meant nothing, and honestly those 'talks' with Kagome had always had her blushing and fidgeting because it made her uncomfortable. After those 'talks' she could never really look Sesshomaru in the eye without blushing for like a month, much to her irritation. Now the blushing made sense to her, now that she actually knew what happened between a man and a woman. Yes, blushing made sense to her now. Strange though how she'd never blush or avoid looking at Kohaku or Shippo, she liked both of them but they had never…attracted her? Was the right way to look at it? She didn't know.

All she did know was that Kohaku never made her heart pound, Shippo never made her blush, and none of the other village boys made her feel heated or alive the way Sesshomaru did. For some reason he always made her feel alive and there had always been that electric thrill from him when he touched her. Yes she was very attracted to her lord, at least she was certain it was attraction. She had never asked him if that's what it was, whatever it was she liked it.

And while she liked his touch, she liked his kisses, she liked his body and she liked their time together she loved him more than anything. Yes, of that she was certain, she loved him. She loved him more than her life, she loved him more than anything, she loved him to the point where she didn't know what she'd do without him in her life. Well she did, but she didn't like it. And because she loved him…

Rin stared out at the river.

She'd do this, it didn't matter what the cost was to her, it didn't matter what happened in the future and none of this matter. She'd give everything up, everything! Her life, her future, the world she knew to come and the world she resided in now, she'd give it all up and all for him to live. She could and she would do this. He was all that mattered to her, that was all she was certain of.

There was little doubt in her heart that he was all she genuinely cared about.

Still her hand slipped down to rest over her lower abdomen. She wanted a family, again. She wanted pups from him and she wanted to hear laughter, joy, and happiness again. It had been so long since she had last heard any of those in her own life. True she had her lord, she had Jaken, and she had Inuyasha's loud pack but she wanted her own family. She want a family to raise, to teach, to love and to it one of those things. doing in life were seldomn times easy. Her own family had long ago been slaughtered before her eyes and with them died who ever she had been before Rin. She couldn't have them back and she couldn't go back to whoever she had been but she wanted to give her lord a family all the same. Perhaps it would heal him, perhaps it would save him, and perhaps it would make him happy again one day. Rin sighed, but it was a selfish dream and one she didn't need at this moment.

At this moment she just needed to plan for what she was to do.

* * *

Izayoi was thrilled, she was ecstatic and she was definitely in dream land as she walked through Takemaru's home again. How could one person be so happy? She wondered as she walked to her newest patient's room. It wasn't as if she had any reason to be happy about but she was unbelievably happy all the same.

And tonight her happiness would be heightened even further when she slipped away to meet up with InuTaisho. He had promised to meet up with her and it was thrilling to know he was willing to meet up with her. In fact he had been the one to suggest the meeting in the first place, she had just thought to sneak out continuously until she met up with him. His plan was definitely better and more thrilling and less risky for her.

"Yes, there is a Rin here," she hear Takemaru reply.

"Black hair, brown eyes, beautiful as the moon?" a man asked.

"Depends on one's perspective of beauty but yes."

"I would like to ask for her hand in marriage."

The porcelain bowl in her hands dropped to shatter at her feet at those words.

* * *

**Oh boy was this a long weekend! Between all the errands I needed to run and all the writing I did I'm amazed I got anything done for fanfic at all. Sorry for the mass update but I did say I would post the original chapters along with the new ones, I read through what I had and decided there wasn't all that much rearranging needed to help this story, just a bit of labeling for what time period we're in. **

**-In Regards To My Other Works: This up coming week I'm having a nightmarish schedule and though I don't mind working I'm not certain about the updates I'll be able to accomplish this week. I would like to again pick up two daily pieces but I'm not certain about any of that at this moment. My upcoming schedule is going to be tough, and it's going to be work to find writing time for any of my writing, and I'm not certain if I'll be able to keep up with my one daily update. I'm sorry but reality is real and writing is something I do to relax when I'm not dead on my feet.**

**On top of that I'm saving up for a new computer so perhaps George and I can stop our wars, sadly every time I get close to the needed amount for the computer I want something happens and I spend most of my money on whatever happened, last time it was the car and the time before the vet, and ect., ect., you get the idea now. So considering I have a big work week means I get a bigger paycheck which means I'm a little closer to getting what I want which means maybe my writing comes along a little easier without George devouring what I write. So I'm happy about the busy schedule but I'm not certain as to what it'll do for my writing.**

**I'm going to try to keep up though.**

**The next time I get a few days off and I don't have a bazillion errands to run or things to do I'm going to do a MASS UPDATE! Until then though I'm going to work on my other works bit by bit but I'll be posting everything I work on in one update.**

**I'm going to try to keep up with my one daily piece, I can always carve out thirty minutes of my day for a fanfic! Hopefully next week I'll be able to resume both my daily pieces; Never Be the Same &amp; Rain For Tears! I hope you all can bear with me for a while as I try to keep up, my life has been a little chaotic at the moment and I'm just trying to stay afloat at this moment.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	43. At A Beginning: Chapter 31

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Perceive:**_ Notice Using Senses; to notice something especially something that escapes the notice of others…_

* * *

**Chapter 31**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin was walking to him, he could already smell her coming to him. She smelled delicious, his internal beast was truly fond of how this human smelled and he loved the fact his scent lingered in her veins because of the mark he had apparently given her. Sesshomaru was not certain if he when he had given this human that mark but he liked her bearing his mark, he really liked it as he cracked an eye open to see his human walk into the clearing before him.

"My lord," she greeted him. He didn't know why she called him her lord but he liked it and made note that more humans should do it. Sesshomaru-sama didn't sound all that bad to him as he sat there looking at the girl who only looked a little bit lost. He wondered what was going through her head, not that he would pry. A mating bond only gave him ideas as to what she was feeling, if she were in immediate danger, and should he need it he could 'see' what she saw. But the bond did not permit him to know what was going on in her head, he found that to be most irritating as he looked at her. He really wished to know what was going on in that head of hers' but it appeared she would not reveal anything to him.

"Is there something on my face, my lord?" he blinked at his human's question.

"No," he answered. She just gave him a skeptical look before letting the matter go. At least his human was not so vain as to call him a liar. He rather liked how his sixteen year old mate looked. She was truly beautiful for a human, her thick, heavy, tangled black hair, large expressive brown eyes, a mouth designed for smiling or pouting or kissing, and a face of innocence. Yes he liked how this human looked, he did not think there was a human who could equal her in beauty. Rin was beautiful in a wild way.

"My lord, are you teasing me and telling me there is nothing on my face when in fact there is?" Rin asked him tartly. He lifted a brow at her.

"There is nothing on your face, Rin," he stated it coldly and firmly so she could not and would not argue with him. Had she never been studied before? He wondered as he looked her over. It would be difficult for human males to look away from her when she had him captivated so thoroughly.

"Then why are you looking at me like that!?" she demanded, clearly bewildered and a smile turned on his lips. He watched her eyes widen a bit before he lunged at her, he had her pinned in the forest grass and he continued smiling at her.

Then before she could protest or really have a chance to think about what he was going to do his mouth was on hers for a hot kiss. It helped that he had kissed her just as she had opened her mouth to protest, it saved him some troubled as he growled in delight. Her protests soon melt away, because she could and would never resist him, their mating bond would never permit her to resist him and she liked their mating too much to genuinely protest against him.

"Rin," he growled when he pulled away to look at his flushed, panting and bewildered mate. Great Kami did he love his mate as he leaned back over her for another kiss. She responded with vigor this time as her arms came around his shoulders and her fingers tangled in his hair and her body arched into his.

* * *

Izayoi knelt down as she hurried to gather up the broken china when Takemaru and another man appeared. This man had brown hair, freckles, brown eyes and was handsome in a boyish way, but there was dangerous about his friendly appearance.

"Izayoi!" Takemaru snapped at her, she trembled a bit.

"I'm sorry, I tripped, I was heading to my newest patients quarters, I'm sorry!" she bowed as she took the broken bowl and hurried away. It had felt odd to be truthful and to be lying but she had done it all the same.

"What's her hurry?" The man asked.

"She's timid," Takemaru lied. She knew it was a lie but didn't care, something about the new comer was unsettling and it wasn't just his desire for young Rin. It was as if he were hiding something behind his boyish charm and looks. She was quick to care for her patient, though she didn't do shoddy work she wished to have Rin's opinion at this point. She had no idea if she was just nervous for her friend or just anxious knowing Takemaru was eagerly looking for ways to throw her only friend out of his home. When she was leaving the patient's quarters she ran into Takemaru then.

"Ack!" she dropped the bowl again. What was wrong with her!?

"Lady Izayoi, you should be more careful," Takemaru sighed as he knelt down to pick of the shards of the china. She knelt down to help him. "What is the matter with you today?"

"I just had an old nightmare," she lied. Though if she had it would be a legitimate excuse because her nightmares made her jumpy for the day when she woke. But much like Rin there were things she didn't wish to remember, unlike Rin though she was a coward and had no desire to face that which terrified her. Rin was strong, she was not, and she wished she could be more like Rin at times. Kami knew she'd never do anything improper and she'd never do anything daring, and she certainly would never be reckless or in love like Rin was. Izayoi had little doubt Rin couldn't be proper to save herself, she would always be daring and brave, and reckless, and it was clear as day Rin was in love with her lord. Yes Izayoi wished she could be a bit more like Rin. But she couldn't, Izayoi looked up into the eyes of her fiancé, they were kind.

"I wish you would talk to me about what bothers you, my lady," he informed her.

"I do not like remembering," Izayoi murmured as she stood with him.

"Have you seen Rin today?"

"No, she left this morning looking for something. She should be back tonight." Izayoi was honest now because Rin had promised to return tonight if she were to return at all. It would not surprise Izayoi if she just stopped coming back one day, Rin was a mysterious, lonely, determined creature.

"When you see her next tell her I must have a word with her."

"Yes," Izayoi watched him leave her then she ran out of the compound and ran for the wall. Grabbing the vines she started to pull herself up, she had to get away from here! She had to escape this prison! She swung her legs over the side when strong arms grabbed her, she squeaked.

* * *

**Oh boy, it's been a long while since I was writing this and I'm going to enjoy this again! You can't see me but I'm grinning evilly with delight at the moment. **

**In Other News: I've decided to try a Naruto fanfic, not certain how that'll work out but hey I like Naruto just as well as I like Inuyasha, only in a different way. Don't worry I'm not going to ignore my open fanfics, I'll finish everything before the end of summer, hopefully (this is provided nothing blows up on me and throws my life for another curve ball), but I like to challenge myself so I thought to try out a new set of characters with different abilities.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	44. At A Beginning: Chapter 32

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Perceive:**_ Notice Using Senses; to notice something especially something that escapes the notice of others…_

* * *

**Chapter 32**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village... (the evening of Rin's departure down the well)**_

Between the brat, the fox, and his brother he was not certain who was more annoying; they were the top three contenders for the position of 'Biggest Pain In His Ass' though. The monk was wise enough to stay silent and he could not, nor would he, attack Kagome or Sango. Though their friends were a different story. And if the old swordsmith died at his claws it would not be his fault, the old man was sitting beside him as if he were an equal! Yes it was most tempting to run the old bastard through with his claws.

"Your father always knew," Tōtōsai said flatly. Sesshomaru did not react because for some reason this could nor or rather did not surprise him. InuTaisho wasn't a fool all the time, just when that skirt had him all tied up in knots was he a true fool. Sesshomaru had never turned into his father, Rin never made him react impulsively or emotionally, she never had nor would she ever make him react with emotion.

"Hn." It was the best response he had because he could not reveal what he thought, what he feared was too close to the surface. If they knew about Rin's true meaning to him then he really just might turn into the bumbling idiot his father was when the topic was about that human woman. No, he would never be his father and he'd never love a human and he would _**NEVER**_ protect a human. Why did they think he had taught Rin to use Bakusaiga? It wasn't for his own amusement, it had been so he did not need to protect her. Still he looked down the well wondering where she was. She should have returned to him now, she should be here any moment and he'd have Tenseiga because he could not lose her a third time. All those centuries thinking she was gone from his grasp, beyond his saving and beyond him only to learn she'd come back to him after he let her go…it was and odd feeling to try to describe.

"I always thought it was InuTaisho who was the stubborn one, I see I was wrong." Tōtōsai sighed, Sesshomaru frowned.

"I do not care about what you think," Sesshomaru said coldly.

"Perhaps not but perhaps you should know a few things about your Bakusaiga…"

Now the old coot had his attention.

* * *

Kagome sat with Inuyasha in the safety of their hut and wondered what Tōtōsai had needed to talk to Sesshomaru about. She looked at her mate and husband who's triangular ears were straining for the conversation so he could relay it to them. For this she wasn't certain whether or not she should be grateful or concerned. If Sesshomaru caught him then she'd more than likely be a widow, but at the same time she was desperate to understand more about the girl who she had come to think of as her younger sister.

She had always held a fondness for the fearless child, and even come to respect and care about Rin as a sister when she had seen Rin stand before her against Takemaru's animated body. There had been no fear in the child's eyes, only a fearlessness she had never seen in a child. Rin was brave. Kagome had seen Rin's love and understanding for Sesshomaru when she had been herding the girl away from Takemaru and Sesshomaru's impending battle. Rin was fearless. And in recent years she had come to rely on Rin for a bridge between herself and Inuyasha during some of their most nasty of fights, she never judged either Kagome or Inuyasha during those fights. Rin was understanding.

And in the last year Inuyasha had shared how special Rin had become to him while she had been away in her time finishing up her schooling and dreaming of her life here with him. Rin was compassionate and it was clear to Kagome Rin would always be special to herself and her mate she hadn't thought about what the girl must have meant to Sesshomaru. It wasn't that Kagome had thought Rin as unimportant but rather of Sesshomaru as heartless.

This had been something she had never understood about Rin and she had tried to. Rin stayed with that unfeeling, cold, murderous bastard brother-in-law of hers' for some reason. Kagome had never been able to understand why because Rin was just so kind and sweet and loving, Sesshomaru wasn't.

But now she wished she understood Rin better. She wanted to know why Rin would stay with Sesshomaru and why the hell a sweet innocent girl like Rin was mated with someone like Sesshomaru! Yes these were things she wished to understood now even as her red moon mark from Inuyasha burned on her shoulder from his displeasure she wanted to know. She wanted to understand, but there was something in her that feared her understanding Sesshomaru and Rin. They were just too different, as different as the moon and sun, and in her heart she worried about both of them because she loved them both so dearly.

Yes, she loved Sesshomaru! The bastard was family after all and to be the uncle to her pups.

* * *

Kohaku just sat in the village feeling irritated as he stared up the ridge. Just past it Sesshomaru was guarding that well and he wasn't going to leave it. If only the bastard would leave the well for a moment then Kohaku would dive down it to find Rin.

He'd find her.

He'd bring her home.

And then she'd love him. She'd realize just how much he loved her, and she'd love him in return so she'd marry him. They'd live a long happy, fruitful life and he wanted so badly to have Rin at his side. But alas, this could only be a day dream because he knew Rin was hopelessly in love with Sesshomaru, he had known for a while but until she had dove into the well earlier today he hadn't known how much his friend had loved her lord. Then again Kohaku had witnessed Sesshomaru leap into the pits of the Netherworld after Rin, so perhaps Sesshomaru loved her just as deeply.

He looked up into the bright brown eyes of a girl and jumped.

"Hey! I'm Yuki! I'm looking for Inuyasha," she smiled at him and his heart stopped at her beauty. Dumbly he pointed to Inuyasha's hut. "Thank you!"

He was pretty certain he was in love.

* * *

**I'm sorry about missing my daily update yesterday, truly I am but I had stuff to do before I left for work then after work I came home finished what I hadn't finished, got three hours of sleep before getting up going to work and coming home this afternoon to sleep again. I was utterly exhausted and I couldn't have written a thing even if I had wanted to so I slept. I woke and I wrote this up. **

**In other news I shall be resuming 2 Daily Pieces because my life is returning to some semblance of order. Never Be the Same is a constant and will continue to be updated daily, the second pieces are going to rotate between Rain for Tears and Healing Pain. I'll update one one day and the other the next and Never Be the Same is updated everyday regardless so everything's even! =)**

**I hope this works -_-**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	45. At A Beginning: Chapter 33

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Perceive:** _Notice Using Senses; to notice something especially something that escapes the notice of others…_

* * *

**Chapter 33**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

He knew something was agitating her but he didn't know what as he had walked away from her. Izayoi had been so strange as of late, he blamed the Rin girl. Before they had pulled that girl out of the river his life and purpose in life was perfect. Izayoi would marry him, he'd have her father's lands and her, and life would be fruitful for them. They'd have sons, because he was Setsuna no Takemaru and he would not tolerate having daughters. And he would not pollute the world with another stubborn, illogical, defiant woman.

Yes his life had been planned for perfection and there would've been nothing better for Izayoi.

But as of late the woman was becoming too quiet, too secretive, and a tad too defiant. Now he wasn't a man who'd ever raise his hand to a woman but it was becoming tempting to give Rin a few hard slaps to remind her of her place. Not that he would but it was getting ever so tempting because Rin was the causes for the changes in Izayoi's behavior. He knew it and so did Izayoi.

If the taijiya wanted to marry Rin he would not stop the fool. He'd hand Rin off to the taijiya naked if that's what it took to get rid of the girl. She was too much trouble. And he did not like having her around his home or his Izayoi. Rin was too wild, too free, and too unpredictable for his liking, even more troublesome was that she knew how to fight and hunt. She did both with a pedatory ease which made him think of a wolf or tiger or yōkai. The girl was trouble.

He wanted her gone. When she returned he'd inform her that Muhai would be her fiancé and she would be going with him. Then his life would return to normal and Izayoi would again be perfect for him. She'd revert back to being a well-groomed and educated lady.

* * *

"Where's Rin!" the squirming woman demanded as he set her down. InuTaisho lifted a brow at her in response. Did he look like Rin's keeper? No, if he did then his son would likely kill him. Not that Sesshomaru knew he knew about Rin. If Sesshomaru knew he knew about Rin then he had a feeling he would have to contend with a son who's depth of power had yet to really be tapped.

"No idea, safe?" InuTaisho shrugged. The woman stared at him.

"If she's not meet you at night then who's she meeting!?" Izayoi screeched at him.

"Probably her mate," InuTaisho shrugged. Izayoi blinked. He laughed.

It couldn't be helped that he thought this human to be so amusing and delightful and expressive. He did not think Izayoi could hold an expression longer than she was feeling whatever emotion was causing the expression. With Rin he figured she took a bit of his son's personality but she was also just as expressive. Were all human women this way? He wondered as he walked with Izayoi. If they were he could see why Sesshomaru would fall for a small, weak human like Rin. They were truly entertaining creatures.

"This is serious! She's going to have problems!" Izayoi snapped, he smiled at her then.

"My lady, Rin has far more important problems than what you could possibly be thinking of," he informed her. The human who was but was not human, the girl who tamed his son; the next Great Inu no Taisho according to Rin; and had threatened to attack a Taijiya Village, she had problems and that was only scratching the surface. Yes Rin had problems, but they were so much more serious than what any normal, pampered, beautiful human lady could understand. He doubted Izayoi would know the depth of trouble Rin was in because short of being pregnant with a hanyō pup Rin was so deep into trouble she could be in the pits of the Netherworld. InuTaisho wondered how it was Rin survived living that way but it didn't seem to really matter to the smiling girl.

* * *

She had had enough of his laughter over a very serious matter. If Rin was mated, she was assuming mating was similar to marriage at the moment but she wasn't certain, then Rin was about to be married to a second man. A man who she did not like or trust.

"Is a mate like a husband?" Izayoi asked.

"A mate is a pair, a partner, a companion, a friend, a lover, an everything. Why?" InuTaisho asked, clearly startled at her abrupt change of topic.

"Can a person have more than one mate?"

"No."

"Then Rin's possibly going to be handed to a second one."

"Not possible, her mate would never share her and my son would destroy any who tried to take her from him." InuTaisho said this so confidently she almost believed that Rin was a yōkai rather than a human, he always spoke highly of Rin but he spoke down on humans. It was confusing to her but at this moment it didn't matter, what mattered was getting Rin out of Takemaru's grasp, she didn't want Rin to be hurt.

"So a mate is the same thing as a human husband?"

"With undivided loyalty, mates never stray." InuTaisho was now assessing her with bright amber eyes. Did he know many human men had three or four wives? It just wasn't that unheard of in her station in life and this was discounting the lovers they'd aquire.

"So your son will never stray from Rin?"

"Never."

"Then Rin is in need of him taking her away, my fiancé is about to sell her to the Taijiya," Izayoi said coldly. Even she knew what would happen if Rin were sold to that boyish looking man. If Rin's mate or her lord or whoever it was she loved, loved her even in the slightest then he'd take her away from here.

"_**WHAT!?**_" InuTaisho roared.

Well she had tried to tell him sooner.

* * *

**Oh boy, it's going to be a long day for me. Oh well! =) I'll post a chapter of Rain for Tears tonight after work. **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	46. At A Beginning: Chapter 34

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Perceive:** _Notice Using Senses; to notice something especially something that escapes the notice of others…_

* * *

**Chapter 34**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin laid there with Sesshomaru by the river in the moonlight wondering what it was her lord wished to know. He didn't ask her questions but she could feel his curiosity. It was almost tangible, she swore she could probably be about to touch his curiosity it was so obvious. It was kind of cute to her.

"Is there something my lord wishes to know?" Rin asked as she propped her chin up on her lover's chest as his claws traced her spine.

"Hn." Classic Sesshomaru, she thought, he would not admit his curiosity so easily though she wished he'd just ask what he wanted to know.

"Sesshomaru-sama is so stubborn," she grumbled as she sat up to grab her clothing. It was imparative she return to Takemaru's compound before dawn because she did have to make that tea and then she'd be attending to Lady Izayoi.

"You're fang, who's is it?" Sesshomaru finally asked, she peeked over at him as he looked at Bakusaiga.

"One day, you'll know," Rin murmured softly before she stood up in the moonlight. Clothed she picked up Bakusaiga then looked down to him, he stood up then to tower over her.

"Do you love the owner of that fang?" he asked her coldly.

"Very much, I will do anything for him. I would die for him, I would live for him, I would leave him if he asked me to, and I would save him if he did not wished to be saved. I love my lord very much, all of him," she replied then pressed a light kiss to his lips before walking off.

* * *

Her lord?

Him?

Sesshomaru stared after his human mate then shook his head. The girl spoke in riddles and sometimes it was maddening. But as he dress he couldn't find it in him to really worry about her riddles. What he worried about was what was to come to his mate if they were discovered. InuTaisho had been the reason and the one to band human mates because of something from his puphood.

Sesshomaru frowned at the blurry memories, a kind smile, a warm voice, a love he had never known. He sighed then, his having a human mate; one who he could not remember marking; was most maddening to him. Not that he didn't love Rin for it was as if he had always loved Rin and known her. But it was also as if he knew nothing about the human who had ensnared him. What was she to him truly? Why and when had he marked her? One could not simply be born with a mating mark, it took centuries to find one's mate and yet it felt as if that mark had always been there. He remembered being a pup and fascinated with a girl who bore that exact mark, was she also Rin?

Perhaps she was and he just could not remember? It would not surprise him if he could not remember. Most of the memories of his puphood were about working hard and trying desperately to earn the love of his mother and father who would not give it to him. He had worked harder than any other pup in his 'pack' for love and acceptence and did not remember finding any except for that one winter so long ago.

Pulling on his clothes he made a quick departure before any of the other inuyōkai could notice he had been here. It wouldn't be difficult to fool those imbeciles because they did not pay attention to him but his father was a different matter. Sesshomaru did not know what InuTaisho knew about Rin other than his father and Rin seemed to be on friendly terms. He did not know if InuTaisho knew Rin was his mate or not. But should InuTaisho threaten his mate then Sesshomaru would shred his father to bits, supreme power be damned.

* * *

"What do you mean sold!?" InuTaisho demanded, he had never heard of such a despicable thing in all his life; and he had lived a long fucking life! How could one sell another living being? It was disgusting!

"I mean she would be sold to Muhai of the Taijiya village to be one of his wives," Izayoi explained to him.

"What's a wife?" he asked.

"According to you the human equivalent of a mate," Izayoi said firmly. He just blinked. A man would willingly take on multiple mates? Wasn't that just…a hassle and a lot of work? He wasn't even mated with InuKimi and she was difficult to manage! Why would one want more than one mate?

Well there was sex…

But if one found their mate then sex with others just wasn't appealing. InuTaisho eyed Izayoi's unmarked neck with interest. He wanted to mark her now that he thought about it, marking her sounded delicious to him. It sounded divine and wonderful and enticing, yes marking that pale neck of hers' as his sound like a good idea. He felt himself becoming aroused at the thought of marking her in the height of her ecstasy. His, he wanted her to be his.

"Why would a male want more than one female? Females are difficult to take care of," he pointed out. Though he really wanted Izayoi, he wanted to taste her and make her scream and be buried deep within her and pup her, he also needed to understand these strange human creatures and their strange customs. Humans were so complicated it was beginning to irritate and fascinate him.

"I'm offended!" Izayoi snapped as she folded her arms. He shrugged, it was true! "Men like having many wives, it shows how powerful they are. The more wives a daimyo has the more prosperous and wealthy he is. I know the Taijiya Chief has five wives already, all are aclaimed beauties and skilled fighters."

"And now he wants Rin?" InuTaisho guessed.

"Yes," Izayoi said as if she were exasperated with everything she was explaining. It wasn't his fault he didn't understand humans! They were so complicated and irritating! But she and Rin seemed to be different, she and Rin were intriguing and not helpless like most humans. Well Izayoi was weak but she was a shining example of a refined lady, he had a feeling though that if she were pushed she could be tough. Rin just seemed to be naturally tough, born and raised to be a fighter. This Muhai was about to bite off far more than he could chew if he tried to take Rin.

"Well he'll lose, Rin will never be any one's but my son's."

* * *

**I know I've missed the last few days of updates but I'm human and I need sleep on occassion and between work and everything going on in my life this last week I haven't had any writing time. Sad but true, I didn't even get to work on my personal works I've been so busy... ='( But I'm back now that things have settle down at work and in life.  
**

**Here's the game plan for the summer or winter (depending on where you are) on what'll be finished and focused on:**

**-_36 Weeks &amp; Counting will be finished by the end of June, I'm just coming up with a good ending for it._**

**-_Trying Not to Neuter Him will be finished by the end of June; even if it kills me I'm going to finish it!_**

**-I will have a one shot posted for Father's Day, My Father; a counter part of My Mother  
**

**-Trying Not to Grow Up will be ongoing until I can say otherwise...**

**-Because I Love You, ****I have no idea how long this ****will be so that is ongoing until I say otherwise...**

**-The fourth &amp; final installment of my Trying Not to Series will be up by July.**

**-Never Be the Same will be long so that will be ongoing until I say otherwise...**

**-Rain for Tears is being resumed today and will probably be finished by the end of July.**

**-Healing Pains is also an unknown at the moment so that will also be ongoing until I say otherwise...**

**Yes I'm busy but I like being busy with my writing and it keeps my mind off of other craziness going on in my life. I'm going to aim to have everything up and done for all of you at the start of August so that way I can just focus on a few things rather than a ton of things.**

**I love writing and I like my fanfics but I'm in love with my originals so I'm going to do a well juggled balancing act between everything else I must do to write my originals, my fanfics, and work and keep up with life. Wish me luck 'cause I'm gonna need it! But I shall prevail! I'm not good at giving up or failing so I'm going to make this work!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	47. At A Beginning: Chapter 35

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Perceive:** _Notice Using Senses; to notice something especially something that escapes the notice of others…_

* * *

**Chapter 35**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village... (the evening of Rin's departure down the well)**_

"Bakusaiga?" Sesshomaru asked skeptically. All he knew about the fang was that it was of his own creation, no one could touch it. Well no one besides him and Rin, but why Rin could hold it, wield it or even carry it was beyond him. Even though she was his mate, and his, she should not be able to touch it when the fang had nearly killed Jaken that one time. Not that he particularly cared about what happened to Jaken but still, it was a dangerous weapon and a dangerous tool.

"Yes, your fang was the original reason InuTaisho had to have Sō'unga," Tōtōsai informed him. Sesshomaru frowned, his father had always had that accursed sword. For as long as he could remember his father had wielded Sō'unga so why would his father have wanted Bakusaiga? Better yet how had his father known about Bakusaiga when he hadn't? And Bakusaiga had been locked with him!

"Hn," Sesshomaru frowned as he looked down the well awaiting Rin. She had to return! She had to! He could not live without her and he faintly felt her emotions in the back of his mind as he stared down the well. Where was she!?

"Bakusaiga was the first fang designed to protect a single, particular human," the swordsmith informed him and now he blinked as he looked over at the old man. That was not something he had known because he had not summoned the sword to protect Rin that day. He had summoned all of his power to destroy that annoying Magatsuhi! The evil spirit had been driving him to madness and when he had kidnapped Rin…both he and Naraku had sealed their own fates. He'd have hacked them to bits with Tenseiga even if it took centuries, Bakusaiga had been forged so he could destroy the spider and Magatsuhi and not to save Rin.

"Despite what you think I know, I always knew about her," Tōtōsai informed him. He glared at the old yōkai then. The bastard knew nothing about Rin! He couldn't have known about Rin! No one knew about Rin, he had concealed the mark with expertise and ease.

"Aye, I did, she showed up in the middle of one of the worst blizzards and she had Bakusaiga, she demanded I seal it with something which she provided and never explained. I asked about the fang and she said it would belong only to the greatest Inu no Taisho, I thought it was going to the master and she laughed. Laughed, she was the first human to have laughed at the great Inu no Taisho and then she informed me that the master was not the greatest Inu no Taisho, her lord was. I laughed, she smiled, I told her she was insane and she informed me to wait and see.

"The day you summoned Bakusaiga I knew then, I could never look at the child you had with you in the same light. I wondered about her, then she came to me with Bakusaiga drawn and demanded I help her. It was then that I understood what she meant all those centuries ago.

"You summoned Bakusaiga to protect, not to conquer, you summoned it to protect her. Bakusaiga is a fang for protecting, it only works when you use it to protect someone. However it was only designed to protected one person, I always wondered what InuKimi did to bring Rin back and now I know. Rin is the walking embodiment of Bakusaiga's soul. It only works so long as you love her and she love you, the day you stop loving her is the day Bakusaiga will no longer work and her life will end. InuTaisho set Tetsusiaga up to be the same way. The fang will sustain the life of a human mate for as long as you live or for as long as you love them."

Sesshomaru blinked then.

"Bakusaiga is the fang which started all of this, it created Tenseiga and Tetsusiaga, it is the reason Rin lives a third time and it keeps her alive. Have you ever noticed that for a human she is unusally healthy, unusually alive and active and even her life energy is unusual?"

* * *

Inuyasha blinked at Tetsusiaga then looked over at his heavily pregnant mate who was talking calmly with Sango as she traced circles on her belly where their pups were residing. So she'd live as long as he, would she? He didn't know what to think about that thought because he had always steeled himself to be prepared for a life alone again.

It wasn't that he wanted to be alone, and he'd take whatever pups Kagome gave him with him, but he knew that once she died he would never love another the way he had loved her. It was relieving to know he did not need to worry about her dying or leaving him for as long as he loved her or she loved him. At least this was provided he didn't die, or Tetsusiaga wasn't destroyed. He looked over his mate then strained his ears again.

His heart ached for his brother now, though he would not express such pain or miseries.

* * *

Kagome looked up when a small woman, about Rin's age walked into her hut with a smile on her face and a glint of happiness in her eyes.

"Are you Kagome-sama?" the girl asked.

"Yes?"

"Thank you so much!" the girl bowed to her and Kagome looked dumbly at her mate who was just sitting there looking dumbfounded.

"Thank you Inuyasha!" the girl smiled to him then, he looked to Kagome and she shrugged. She had no idea who the girl was.

"You save me from a yōkai named Goshinki about nine years ago." The girl smiled then.

* * *

**Alright, I've done the promised updates and I'm going to bed so Night Everyone! =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	48. At A Beginning: Chapter 36

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Reality:** _Real Existence; actual being or existence, as opposed to an imaginary, idealized, or false nature…_

* * *

**Chapter 36**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin sat there contemplating the best way to murder Takemaru and not to disrupt the time period, and she had nothing! According to Kagome it was very important she not mess with the past, there could be dangerous consequences in the future if she toyed with the past. But Rin was beyond infuriated at this moment as she listened to Takemaru list all the reasons it was a good idea for her to marry Muhai.

Now a lot about Kohaku's personality was making sense to her. He too was obsessive, flimsy, materialistic, and demanding. She did not like this, and she did not like Muhai who's eyes were lingering on her breasts. Not that she had much in that area, she was not a lush woman like Kagome or Sango but she was woman enough to know that size mattered to gain the attentions of men. But the way Muhai was leering at her one would thing her a lush dream of men, and if her mate were here he'd be snarling by now; it didn't matter which Sesshomaru either. Some things did not change, not even with centuries to change would Sesshomaru change. Of this she was positive.

"The match is a solid match," Takemaru began again.

"No," Rin said firmly. The men glared at her.

"You will agree to this match or else, Rin," Takemaru threatened.

"Else what? I do not serve you Setsuna no Takemaru, and my lord would frown upon me marrying a taijiya. He'd be greatly offended, and possibly homicidal, should I agree to this arrangement. My lord does not share what is his with others, ever." She glared into the brown eyes of Muhai, he looked and even acted, exactly like Kohaku, she didn't like it. Rin did not like this at all. If she had it her way she'd run for her lord and hide in the Inuyōkai territory for the rest of her days. But she alas, she could not do this because she had to save her lord.

Someone had to and since her friends back home were not lining up to do so she would.

"And who is this mighty lord who you claim to serve?" Muhai sneered, Rin glared in retaliation. How dare he sound so condescending when her lord could rip him to shreds with a mere flick of his wrist!

"My lord is far superior to you and could disembowel you from head to toe with a mere flick of his wrist before you could even get out your battle cry. Do not think yourself his equal because I would never serve, let alone marry, someone as inadequate as you."

"Inadequate!" Muhai roared, she smirked ever so slightly then.

"Yes, compared to my lord you are inferior and inept in every way. Why you could not best me should we fight because you are so inadequate!" she hissed out her insult as her eyes narrowed on her prey. Muhai was a rather simple man with simple desires, destroying him was simply a matter of pushing the right buttons. His ego and his pride were his downfall, she'd destroy him with them.

"I'll show you inept!" Muhai lunged for her, Rin was quicker as she threw her small weight into his gut and rolled him onto his back, her straddling him with her dagger drawn and pressed against his throat.

"From here I can feel how inferior to my lord you are," she taunted as her body pinned his. He glared at her with hateful eyes and she smiled coldly. The disgust rolling around within her could not be hidden nor could it be lessened so she let it show from her eyes.

"You little bitch!" Muhai roared at her.

"Thank you, I believe that compliment will save your worthless life." Rin snapped, being Sesshomaru's bitch was a good thing according to him. It meant she was worthy of being his.

"You are demented, and in a fair fight you'd never stand a chance!" Muhai spat out, Rin was quick to hurl a smaller dagger from thigh into the wall beside Takemaru's head. The man froze mid grab for his katana, she was already holding a second dagger ready to attack these fools should they make a wrong move.

"Next one goes in your head, and believe me I have no problem doing so," she snapped the warning, old hatred burning through her viens at the sight of his brown eyes watching her. They had been red and rotting the first time she had met him, and they had been flaming with hatred as he tried to kill her that first time. This time however he was not a corpse, he was alive, and she was not a child, she was a woman who could and would kill him should he move to attack her again. Damn InuTaisho's fate, she didn't care because she would not die at the hands of Takemaru.

"Now listen, and listen carefully, Muhai, I will accept your challenge, but I win you leave me alone and do not try to marry me. Else I'll rip you to shreds and feed your body to wolves. And believe me, wolves devouring your flesh is painful." She did not think about the old memories but a phantom pain coursed through her body to the old scares which had never really faded from her healthy body.

"And if I win?" he hissed out, she pressed her blade a little harder on his windpipe as she leaned over him.

"If you win then I shall be yours, in any way you please, for a night," she lied. Of course she would not lose and of course Sesshomaru would never permit this. And if she lost, then it would not matter. She had to leave soon either way, not that she wished to leave Izayoi or InuTaisho but she had to save her lord. The first step to saving him lay within the King of Panthers according to Midoriko. And though the tasks ahead her were daunting and terrifying she had to save her lord.

She did not care nor did she have the time for petty human desires.

Besides, if she lost to Muhai she was not worthy to be Sesshomaru-sama's.

* * *

**Sorry about the last few days but I've been sick, going to work, downing cold medicine and sleeping. Also when I'm sick I only really feel like drawing, and I have been drawing a lot because I'm sick so...  
**

**Oh well, I'm going to try to finish everything I have promised in the next few weeks but it'll be tough. Still I'm working on it diligently because people are counting on me.**

**Again sorry about the last few days folks but I feel like SHIT! I want to curl up under the covers and die I feel so shitty. I hate being sick!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	49. At A Beginning: Chapter 37

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Reality:** _Real Existence; actual being or existence, as opposed to an imaginary, idealized, or false nature…_

* * *

**Chapter 37**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Rin walk with Izayoi through the halls of compound as she thought about the impending battle of doom to come. Of course she had to be impulsive and challenge Muhai, but she didn't care as they walked through the halls. The impulsive decision was now going to be carried out, but she wasn't certain this now as she walked to the training field. The men were all lining around the sparing area and the leering they were doing was most intimidating to her.

Though she was not the boldest of women she was not completely shy, however at this moment she was wishing desperately for a place to hide. Never in her life had she ever been surrounded by so many leering men and it made her think of the night the bandits had attacked her family and her. It was terrifying to her as she walked into the center of the sparing area. But again the personality of her lord reared it's head and again she stood impassively before the men who were all insulting her. She would be fine, she assured herself. Her lord would never let her fail and he had personally seen to her training, she could not fail. And if that was her arrogance then so be it.

But her best friend was Sesshomaru-sama, and he was a far more intimidating opponent than the human man who strutted out before her. He held the weapon she knew Sango preferred and around his waist was the sickled blade Kohaku favored, her own fingers closed around Bakusaiga. She could not use Bakusaiga's abilities, not that it mattered because what the fang was capable of was unknown even now. Not that it mattered, Rin could rarely get the extra abilities the sword had to work so she would not use them.

Drawing Bakusaiga she glared at Muhai.

"No armor?" he asked tauntingly.

"No." It would weigh her down, and she knew her only true advantage against a human man was her speed and agility. But Muhai was taijiya, he'd be nimble and agile as well. She'd just have to be better she decided.

"Rin you do not have to do this," Izayoi informed her softly.

"Yes, I do." Rin countered.

"Why?"

"My lord would never tolerate another man, let alone a human man, leering at me." Rin was certain of this. Since her drastic change in her relationship with Sesshomaru; this Sesshomaru; she had learned he did not take well to others staring or trying to take what was his. In fact this clarified quite a few things about the Sesshomaru from her time; especially that time when Kohaku had tried to kiss her. She had never seen him so angry.

"This is to be a clean match, the loser will be pinned and surrender," Takemaru declared. "Understood?"

His gaze was intent on her as if she were the loser already.

"Understood," Rin verbalized for them.

"Uh-huh," Muhia's lips curved into a smile she could only think of as sadistic.

"Fight," Takemaru ordered. Muhai hurled the boomerrang at her, she rushed him.

* * *

Sesshomaru smirked as he watched his human rush her oponent. He wasn't worry, she had assured him her lord had personally seen to her combat training and she'd never lose to one so inferior as Muhai. But still, he was sitting here watching her every move. She slid to the ground, under the boomerang and came up to her feet to slash her fang at her opponent who stumbled away from her.

The human pulled his blade, the one on a chain and hurled it at her. She was quick to leap out of the way, she rotated her small body in the air to land on the chain. Her fingers grabbed the chain and she used her strength to pull the man to her. He drew his blade; Sesshomaru growled lowly but remained where he was perched; as the man tried to skewer Rin. She deflected the sword with her fang and fell into a fighting stance.

"Let us see how good you are with a sword," she challenged as she smirked. Sesshomaru felt an unbelievable amount of pride at what he was seeing.

His human's movements were flawless, they were fluid, and if he hadn't known better he'd have thought he had taught her. She attacked first, her fang struck his blade and she attacked with a ferocity he hadn't know she had. The man just struggled to deflect her blows, Rin was fighting for a kill and he sensed it. The pride in him at seeing her abilities was unrivaled as he watched her. She was relentless, a strike had the man dropping his sword, he grabbed his dagger and tried to stab her then.

The fang caught the blade then, he hadn't even seen her move; it was as if her fang had moved to protect her all on it's own. The dagger was knocked out of the man's hand, her blade was pressed against his throat as she glared at him.

"Surrender?" she heaved, Sesshomaru smirked then.

"Never," the human male growled before he tackled her. Rin didn't give up though, her fang skittered across the sparing area but it was as if a wild animal were unleashed as she countered the attack. The larger male howled in pain as she clawed at his face, used her teeth and kicked him. Her fists pummled every part of him she could reach and he just struggled to pin her. Rin landed atop the man, her fangs bared and Sesshomaru did not think he could eer be prouder of his mate than in that moment.

"Surrender?" she hissed again, her lip was swelling from the man's blows.

"No," she pulled a dagger then and pressed it to his throat. She leaned over the man, and in a soft whisper; which he only heard because he was inu daiyōkai, he listened to her soft threat.

"I do not care about the consequences, but you might and if you do not give up on this folly I will slice off your manhood before witnesses and shove it down your throat, just see if I don't."

"Fine," the male growled out. "I concede," he hissed at her. He then spat blood in her face, she didn't react though as she stood up, wiped her face with the tattered kimono sleeve then picked up her fang. Sesshomaru fought off the desire to snatch her up and hide her away to make slow love to her because he was so proud of her. Instead he slipped into the forest and hurried back for inuyōkai territory.

* * *

**Rain for Tears will probably have another chapter tonight, But I'm Still Sick So I Make No Promises! I have to go to work and I feel like shit, all I wanna do is sleep at this moment and if I feel this bad when I come home from work I'm just going to bed.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	50. At A Beginning: Chapter 38

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Reality:** _Real Existence; actual being or existence, as opposed to an imaginary, idealized, or false nature…_

* * *

**Chapter 38**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Sesshomaru leapt out of his father's attack path. The elder barked an order at him which he ignored again as he let light erupt from his finger tips to slash down at his opponent. His father used Sō'unga to fend off the attack as Sesshomaru landed lightly before him.

The training session was grueling but he would not lose to his father, alpha or not, Sesshomaru refused to lose. He would not concede! His eyes carefully assessed his father as he stood at the other end of the sparing area. His father's amber eyes assessed him coldly, he glared in retaliation before InuTaisho made the first move. Sesshomaru was just as quick, he slipped under the swing of Sō'unga, who taunted him and came up swinging on his father. Landing a blow on his father's jaw he tried to land another one in the process only to be kicked to the ground. He rolled to his feet and growled, his father rubbed his jaw then.

"Be smarter than that Sesshomaru," his father ordered. He frowned but then decided to use that to his advantage. His father raised his sword, Sesshomaru lashed his wrist out. The light flew from his fingertips, he wrapped it around his father's wrist then slammed his father's weight into the ground as he rushed towards his prey. InuTaisho slammed into the ground but Sō'unga was planted in the ground, Sesshomaru too this moment to attack. Nimbly his father evaded his attacks and barked out orders at him to improve, he was finally slammed into the earth with his father's knee on his chest.

"Good try Sesshomaru, but you will never surpass me until you learn humility," InuTaisho snapped at him, he snarled then. His father's poison dripped from his claws and he had to concede else he'd likely be receiving a nasty dose of poison.

Standing he glared at the audience of his training sessions before walking away, ignoring his father's demands he return. He wanted peace and this was not peace, he walked through his father's home and to the wall.

"Where are you going Sesshomaru?" Chieko asked as he appeared with his friend Fumio.

"Out," he replied coldly. Not that it was really any of their business what he was up to or what he was going to go do. They weren't his parents; and even if they were he'd never tell them he was human hunting for Rin. He craved his human's company, and that was not something they'd understand. Craving Rin for him was rather like needing air, it just was a necessity to his existence. And for some reason he was alright with it.

"Out where?" Fumio pestered, he glared then. His glare had the two idiots staggering away. Though he was fuming about losing to his father in a that fight he knew he'd one day best his father, he'd surpass InuTaisho one day. Just not today. And until that day came, he'd just continue defeating daiyōkai with supreme power until he could rival and match his father in a fight. Nimbly he leapt into the forest then enveloped himself with energy to zip through the forest following Rin.

* * *

"I think we should start an herbal garden here, it'll be a beautiful addition to the gardens and useful," Izayoi informed her companion.

"I'll see to it…" Rin trailed off.

"Rin?" Izayoi turned around to see…

No Rin? What the!? She just sighed as she rubbed her brow then, life was so much easier before InuTaisho started stealing away her servant. She'd have to have a talk with the Inu Daiyōkai about when and how he stole Rin away, she decided as she walked to the back wall and climbed over to find him.

* * *

InuTaisho rolled his shoulder now that he was alone. Sesshomaru's practice fight had been more challenging than he had anticipated. Not that he had wanted to reveal as much to him, if Sesshomaru knew how much of an improvement he was making then InuTaisho feared his ego growing to be unmanageable. The boy was already insufferable he didn't want to make his son intolerable. But the problem would be teaching his arrogant son humility…

Perhaps Rin would have a solution for this.

She seemed to have a handle on his son like no other. There had been a few times he had followed Sesshomaru to see him interact with Rin. It appeared his darling daughter-in-law had his bastard of a son wrapped around her pretty little finger. Sighing he stared out at the woods, if only she would tell him how to get through to Sesshomaru. That would be a true gift in his mind, it wasn't that he didn't want to be a father or a good father it was more of no one knew how to bond with his son. No one had ever gotten through to him other than…Rin. Had the last woman been named Rin too?

InuTaisho frowned as he tried to sort through old memories.

"InuTaisho!" a voice sliced his concentration into threads then as his gaze snapped up onto a beautiful, but clearly annoyed human woman who was stalking towards him.

"Izayoi," he greeted happily. For some reason merely seeing this human made him happy, and his mokomoko twitch with joy.

"You had better start telling me where you hid Rin this time or else I'll have to hit you over the head!" she growled as she stomped to him.

"I didn't steal Rin," he informed her. She frowned, he frowned in retaliation.

"Then where'd she go?"

* * *

"Sesshomaru!" Rin hissed at him when they landed in a field. He released her, she glared at him as he stood there indifferently. She wanted to scream at him, but firstly she wanted to know what was troubling. After that she'd yell at him. Yes, that was a good plan. The brute had just snatched her up in broad daylight in the middle of Takemaru's compound and dragged her…where was she? For what reason!?

"Rin," he replied.

She was pinned against a tree with his mouth on hers, his hand tangled in her hair, and his body pressed firmly against hers'. She gasped for air but it was pointless as she surrendered and melted into him.

She'd yell at him later…

* * *

**WOW! 240+ reviews! I don't write for reviews so I must inform you all I did not expect that, I took the time to read them all through today because I realized I haven't read them for a little while and I must give a special shout out to everyone for their support during the rearrangement of this story! Thanks for your support, and now I'll be off to continue writing...something. I'm not sure what I'll write yet because I'm still sick and mostly feel like drawing at this moment...  
**

**Still I shall try not to disappoint you all and I will try to update something else today.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	51. At A Beginning: Chapter 39

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Reality: **_Real Existence; actual being or existence, as opposed to an imaginary, idealized, or false nature…_

* * *

**Chapter 39**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"I have several theories as to where Rin went and I cannot prove them," InuTaisho grumbled. He had a feeling he knew exactly who had snatched up his darling little daughter-in-law. Her mate. His son. And he was not going to seek them out because Sesshomaru would likely shred him to pieces for simply being near her. And after the training match he had had with his son he did not doubt Sesshomaru capable of this.

"InuTaisho if anything happens to her I swear…!" Izayoi hissed, he smirked then.

"Rin is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, I would expect nothing less from my daughter-in-law." And he spoke the truth in that statement. Rin had told him that his son took her in, that his son raised her, that his son taught her everything she knew about fighting. She was skilled, and for a human she was a prodigy in his mind, no human's skills were even equaled to Rin's so he did not feel the need to worry about her.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, besides, wild things are resilient creatures." He tilted Izayoi's head back then. The woman's bright brown eyes were full of worry and he understood her worry, he had the same worries where his son was concerned. "My son's mate is not weak and she will come and go as she pleases but I have a feeling she returns to those she cares about."

"I worry about her, I know it's silly but she's like a little sister to me," Izayoi admitted to him. He smiled.

"She probably thinks of you as a little sister too," InuTaisho informed her, she frowned then.

"How? I'm her senior by at least three years!" Izayoi argued.

"And Rin is our senior by two hundred in sheer knowledge," he countered.

"You're right, Rin is probably alright," Izayoi conceded, he grinned then.

"You are smart to put a bit of faith into Rin."

"It's difficult not to have faith in her when she made a fool of the mighty taijiya chief and sent him home in shame."

"Oh?" he lifted his brow then. Izayoi smiled then gleefully began exploiting to him all that he had missed. He was delighted in her enthusiasm but he was thoroughly disappointed that he had missed Rin's fight with the Taijiya when he had been looking forward to it. Rin had bested him a time or two so he had been eager to see her against some of the best human fighters this era had to offer. There was always next time he mused silently, and there would be a next time. He had no doubt about it, Rin was just too beautiful for her own good, not that he'd expect anything less from his son's mate. InuTaisho found himself mesmerized by Izayoi's gleeful beauty as she told him all that he had missed.

"You really are a beautiful creature," he admitted then. She stopped midsentence and then he realized what he had blurted out. She was turning the most appealing shade of red as she stared intently down at the ground.

"Wh-Why would you say that!?" she choked out.

"Because it's true," he shrugged, she turned even redder in the night. Was it really night? He wondered as he looked up. Sure enough the moon had risen and was nearing midnight. He had spent most of his day, and a good portion of his night with the bewitching Lady Izayoi and hadn't even realized it.

* * *

Rin stared at her sleeping lord, she bit her lip then sighed. She had known it was only a matter of time before he had come to her, she just hadn't expected to be abducted in broad daylight in the middle of Takemaru's compound. Oh well, this was a perfect time with him sound asleep. Silently, she went to work to get what she needed from him, she would do this. For him.

Midoriko's instructions rang through her head as she worked.

He never woke, she smiled with a bittersweet triumph then bent over him, kissed his brow.

"I love you," she whispered then she snatched up her fang, the object she had stolen from her lord and dragged on her kimono before running through the night. She wouldn't say her goodbyes, there was no point in saying them, for she had the distinct feeling she'd be back. But she knew she'd never return to Edo.

Sadness washed over her with this knowledge as she ran through the night. She made it to the river where she stopped and tears welled up in her eyes. Quickly she fought them back as she heaved a heavy sigh, this wasn't the end. This wasn't goodbye, she looked over her shoulder at the human's terriroty. This would not be the end. She would save her lord from Magatsuhi. Carefully she studied the object of her desires in the moonlight, it strengthened her resolve as she tucked away safely in her kimono. Securing Bakusaiga she looked back into the forest then she ran to the river, leaping into the air she took a deep breath then dove into the cold autumn waters to swim to the inuyōkai territory.

She just needed to save her lord, and to do that she'd need to go to the well again.

Swimming through the river she arrived on the opposite bank in inuyōkai territory only to stare up into two sets of gleaming red eyes. Fear didn't spark in her though as she slowly stood before the giant dogs, their snarling though was literally shaking the earth on which she stood. Rin bolted, she felt the tear after her but she didn't slow as she nimbly slipping through the thick woods.

* * *

Amber eyes snapped open when he heard a thunderous roar. He bolted upright when he noted his mate was not with him. He changed forms then as he raced towards the barking. He leapt over the river and looked around frantically for her. The crashing had him tearing into the woods after the idiots hunting his mate.

The scents had him panicking, it was Chieko and Fumio.

_**FUCK!**_

Still he had to save Rin!

* * *

**Hey, been a while but shit's been going down in my life. I mean seriously! Holy shit! Between work, being sick, drama, and every possible fuck up imaginable lately life's been hell! But I finally have a day to myself, granted I'm sicker than a dog but I have the day, so I'm catching up on my updates!  
**

**Oh And I've decided to test the waters with Naruto fanfic, why not? So I'm trying it out if you want to check those out too [They're Healing Pain &amp; Only Tears].**

**And to the news you all want! This upcoming week's updates:**

**Today:**

**-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

**-A Chapter of Rain for Tears**

**-A Chapter of Healing Pain**

**-A Chapter of Only Tears**

**Sunday:**

**-A Chapter of Rain for Tears  
**

**-A chapter of Never Be the Same**

**Monday:**

**-Hopefully what's left of Why Should I Worry (there's 7 or 8 chapters left, I'll have to double check but I have a few of them written I just need to post them!)**

**-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

**-A Chapter of Healing Pain**

**Tuesday:**

**-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

**-A Chapter of Only Tears**

**-Maybe a chapter of Rain for Tears  
**

**Wednesday:**

**-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

**-A Chapter of Rain for Tears  
**

**-A Chapter of Only Tears**

**-A Chapter of Healing Pain**

**Thursday:**

**-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

**-A Chapter of Because I Love You**

**Friday:**

**-A long overdue chapter of 36 Weeks &amp; Counting; I've been trying to figure out the best ending for it at the moment... but it'll be done before the end of June! Promise! =)**

**-3 to 5 Chapters of Trying Not to Neuter Him (I'm having a bit of difficulty with this one but no challenge is too great! I will write this!)**

**-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

**Saturday:**

**-A Chapter of Never Be the Same**

**-A Special One-Shot for Father's Day; My Father (the counterpart for My Mother)**

**-3 to 5 Chapters of Trying Not to Neuter Him**

**-A Chapter of Rain for Tears**

**-A Chapter of one of the Naruto fanfics [Only Tears or Healing Pain] (hopefully... We'll see about those)**

**As Always I'm Putting My Originals Ahead of My Fanfics But Since George Is Trying to Eat My Originals Lately I'll Be Working On Fanfics. I almost have enough money to buy a new computer, provided nothing else should blow up in my life that requires lots of money to fix it...**

**I SO Want A New Computer... I really wanna work on my original stuff and not have it destroyed!**

**Anyways, That's the game plan for the week folks!**

**Sorry for not focusing on my old stuff, but life's been eating me alive lately.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	52. At A Beginning: Chapter 40

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Reality:** _Real Existence; actual being or existence, as opposed to an imaginary, idealized, or false nature…_

* * *

**Chapter 40**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village... (the evening of Rin's departure down the well)**_

Sesshomaru stared down the well in shock then. Rin.

Had she always known, had she always known this was to be her fate. Sealed to him from before the time she was born. Was she always determined to be his or had he always been determined to have her? Honestly he didn't know anymore. All of his memories were jumbled and disorganized as he sat there in the moonlight staring down the well.

Since he was a pup he had always been loved by her, at least it was her if what Tōtōsai was saying was true. If it was true then he had always been loved by Rin and he had always loved her. The thought, the revelation of that alone, was enough to have him sitting here in stunned silence. Rin. The only creature he had loved, cared about, tried to protect and guard and heal was all the same. She was all Rin.

No matter what she was Rin.

* * *

"And you are?" Inuyasha questioned the girl who smiled happily then. He inched over to Kagome, though it was purely instinctive he didn't know why he was inching over to her. But as he watched this girl he was cautious. There was something familiar about her but at the same time she was…unfamiliar. His mate wasn't helping matters as she sat there blinking in shock at the girl.

"I'm Yuki, you save my brother and I from a yōkai who called himself Goshinki. It was terrible, and it was horrible that night."

"Huh?" Inuyasha grunted. He honestly didn't remember the night he slayed Goshinki. It had been the one of the first times the yōkai in him consumed his soul and being, the night was a blur. Well aside from Kagome, he remembered Kagome's voice and worry.

"Oh! You were the child hiding in the barn!" Kagome gasped.

"Yeah, my brother and I were hiding and then Goshinki found us. I thought we were goners for sure, then you guys showed up and we were able to escape. I always wanted to thank you, my brother didn't want to get involved with yōkai so I've spent the last nine years trying to track you down. It wasn't easy, especially with two silver inuyōkai who travel with human companions. But I was eventually told that the sons of the Inu no Taisho resided in Edo so I came here and here you are!" Yuki said with a happy smile which had him looking to Kagome who smiled then.

"Well I'm glad to see you again, Yuki!" Kagome beamed at the girl and he looked to Miroku for help, Miroku only shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. Inuyasha's ears drooped then. If anyone would've known who this girl was it would've been the pervert because if it was female Miroku remembered them.

"You grew up into a beautiful young woman Yuki," Sango commented.

"Thank you, and that's another reason I'm here." Yuki looked frettful then as he eyed her with caution. He didn't know where this was going but he wasn't certain he was going to like it.

"Oh?" Kagome voiced.

"Yes, would it be too much to stay with you because my brother is trying to marry me off to a powerful daimyo," Yuki informed then. Inuyasha felt like palming his head because of this. The answer was NO! He was not dealing with this! He didn't need more drama after what Rin had just done, drama was not needed in his life any more. Besides, he was retired from yōkai hunting, damsel in distress rescuing, and trouble, he had a pregnant mate and an irritating brother with pups in his pack now.

* * *

He stiffened when he scented them, he rose then. Carefully he scanned the area around him, his eyes narrowed as he looked out into the forest to see them then. What the hell!? Two large dogs raced through the forest to shrink down into their humanoid forms. Sesshomaru blinked as he was greeted with the sight of two of his old 'pack mates'. He had never really been a part of the pack so he didn't really consider them his pack mates but they had, at one point, all been a part of the same pack.

"Sesshomaru-sama," one panted out.

"You're hard to find," the other panted. He lifted a brown then and the two idiots grinned.

"We've been looking for you for a couple of centuries." Chieko took the liberty of informing him. He frowned, for he had known they were hunting him and it was a part of the reason he had always been on the move.

"What do you two want?" Sesshomaru asked coldly as he resumed ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest. It wasn't worry for Rin it was the curse, his heart was heavy with worry though. He just wanted his mate back and the last he had seen of those two idiots was the night Rin had last gone down the well.

"You mother sent us, you're to return to inuyōkai territory and take your place as our alpha. You've already achieved being Inu no Taisho," Fumio grinned. He frowned more intently as he sat where he was again.

"No."

"_**WHAT!?**_" they roared.

"No, I am not returning." He repeated in a cold, slow deliberate tone.

* * *

"It sounds like Sesshomaru has company," Kagome commented because she had heard the roar and felt the world cool a few degrees. Yes, it was obvious Sesshomaru was not happy, even in the safety of her hut she could feel it.

"Oh, so Sesshomaru is also here?" Yuki asked innocently.

"Yes, for the moment he's here. And you are welcomed to stay for as long as you need Yuki, but Kaede might put you to work." Kagome warned the young woman.

"That's alright, I like working," Yuki smiled. Kagome smiled in response as she sipped her tea. This wouldn't be all bad.

"Kagome," her mate whine. She smiled. Inuyasha would come around, she had no doubt about that. The thunderous crash from the hill had her a tad bit worried though. What was Sesshomaru up too?

* * *

**Updates are on track so I'm off to work on Rain for Tears! =) It might take a bit of time because I'm multitasking but I'll work quickly and have it up tonight. **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	53. At A Beginning: Chapter 41

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Solitude:** _Remoteness; a quality of quiet or remoteness or seclusion in places from which human activity is generally absent…_

* * *

**Chapter 41**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village... (the evening of Rin's departure down the well)**_

He threw Chieko into the forest and when Fumio came at him he hurled him into the direction of Edo. Sesshomaru did not give a fuck about what his mother wanted or desired because she was not the one awaiting her mate to return bloody and half dead. Sesshomaru's lip curled back to reveal his fangs when Chieko came charging at him. The fool changed into his true form, Sesshomaru's fingertips tingled with half-forgotten abilities as light erupted from within him to slash at the giant dog.

The dog howled in pain but not before he was almost tackled by Fumio. Sesshomaru had felt the threat coming and leapt out of the way of the impending attack. Fumio tackled Chieko in his true form as well. The two dogs went crashing into the forest then. His lips formed a frown then as he sat back down holding Tenseiga to look down the Bone Eater's Well. No doubt those idiot would be back, and he had little doubt that they'd be trying to capture him but…

Fuck them!

He was not leaving this fucking spot until Rin emerged because had several things to tell his mate! And he had several things he wanted to do when he got his hands on Rin again. But mostly he wanted to yell at her for her stupidity. His old memories were sharper than ever before as he sat there thinking back on the things he had felt for Rin and all the many Rins he had known. They had all been the same Rin, his Rin, and the thought was…

Overwhelming.

Yes it was all overwhelming to him as he sat there staring down the well for her.

They were back, he stared at the two sets of glowing red eyes and remembered that night so long ago with a snarl as he slipped Tenseiga into his sash. Without thinking about the possible consquences he let his temper and infuriate beast take over. His eyes bled red, his fangs elongated as his jaw extended with a sound similar to breaking bones as his aura over took him. The two inuyōkai split up and began circling with their lips pulled back. He watched them, Chieko would make the first move because Chieko had no patience and always made the first move.

**You're coming with us**, he heard Fumio growl. Sesshomaru turned his brilliant red gaze on him then, _**wanna fucking bet?**_ He thought as he leapt out of Chieko's snapping jaws. Sesshomaru smiled as he enveloped himself in light then came crashing down in his true form.

He was larger than these idiots, were as they were the size of elephants (which was a solid size for inuyōkai) he was a giant compared to them, and he wasn't done growing. He was Inu Daiyōkai, he was Inu no Taisho, and he surpassed his father and one day he'd be larger than his father too. Sesshomaru snarled down at the two other inuyōkai. Chieko and Fumio lowered themselves to the ground, still snarling with their ears flat as Sesshomaru snarled down at them. In this form primal instinct took over and they would recognize their alpha, even when their alpha did not wish to be alpha. Sheer size and superiority had him being alpha.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha came flying into the clearing then, his ears flattened as his yōkai regonized his alpha.

Sesshoamru growled at his brother as he glared down at the cowering idiots who shrank back down to their humanoid forms. Chieko and Fumio glared at Inuyasha which had sesshomar snapping his jaws at the idiots. Only he could glare at the hanyō and only he would show open disdain for InuTaisho's other son. Sesshomaru shrank into his humanoid form then, still glaring at the idiots.

"Who are they?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Chieko and Fumio from the Inuyōkai Pack," Sesshomaru replied as he stalked over to sit at the well again. He was not leaving Rin; he looked at the sinking sun. Had she really only left this morning? It felt like an agonizing lifetime since he had last seen her.

But this morning she had left. It was strange to think that this morning he had been holding her securely against him as she slept and they enjoyed the early morning. Had he really been snapping and snarling again as Kagome again brought up Rin's possible marriage to Kohaku? Had really all only started this morning? He just stared at the orange sky and the sinking sun.

All of this nightmare had started this morning, and now she was gone down this fucking well. Sesshomaru held Tenseiga as he stared down into the abyss of this nothingness where a few discarded bones lay, waiting to disappear as Rin had. Nothing in him could comprehend what was happening, nothing in him new how to react to what was happening. It was as if the world could not resist giving him that last 'Fuck You' when he was finally feeling…

Content, for the first time in centuries.

He would not go so far as to say he felt happy around Rin but he felt content with her. No matter where in his memories she showed up he only ever truly remember feeling at peace with her. And content, as if he held his world with her right there. Whether she be that happy child with her scars, or that awkward preteen who wanted to hide or the moody teen who was hell on wheels or the woman he was trying to get out of Edo unmarried and unscathed.

Yes, Rin was the only creature who made him feel content. It was strange the amount of power that one little human woman wielded but she held him her captive. He didn't know why he felt as intensely about her as he did, all he knew was that she was his. She had always been his. Vaguely he noted that Inuyasha's mate had invited Chieko and Fumio to stay but it didn't matter to him. He was waiting for Rin, no matter how long it took. He just stared at the blooming night, had it all really started this morning?

* * *

**GEORGE FUCKING ATE MY STORY! HOLY SHIT! Now I have to rewrite the final chapters of Why Should I worry from scratch but don't worry folks I'll have that finished right after I finish 36 Weeks &amp; Counting and Trying Not to Neuter Him. Still...  
**

**I FUCKING HATE GEORGE! I MEAN SERIOUSLY! HE JUST SPAT OUT RANDOM CODE THAT EVEN MY TECH FRIEND SAID MEANT NOTHING! AND HE COULDN'T RETRIEVE ANYTHING FROM GEORGE! I'M GONNA KILL THIS COMPUTER!**

**Seriously, people who say technology is our friend needs to watch Terminator or meet George, they might change their minds...**

**Anyways, that's my rant for now. Aside From Why Should I Worry's updates all updates should be on track.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	54. At A Beginning: Chapter 42

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Solitude:** _Remoteness; a quality of quiet or remoteness or seclusion in places from which human activity is generally absent…_

* * *

**Chapter 42**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Villiage... (the night of Rin's departure down the well)**_

Kagome sat in her hut staring at the two inuyōkai who held her offered tea carefully and smelled it as if it could've been poisoned. She had never met any other inuyōkai aside from Sesshomaru so this was…

Different.

Chieko was not silver like Inuyasha or Sesshomaru, he had long, brilliant blue hair with eyes that were an offset blue. In truth he looked…odd, especially considering his kimono was an unusual shade of yellow-orange. His markings were three slashes of red on each cheek making it look as if a woman had clawed his face or someone had taken a knife to his face. But overall he was unusually handsome, but small; he was as tall as Miroku; which was shocking to her because even Inuyasha was taller now. Sesshomaru still towered over them but apparently he was different and wouldn't finish growing for another thousand years. Whatever that meant, but according to science human men did not finish growing until well into their twenties so she figured Sesshomaru was still maturing. Not that he needed much maturing.

And if Inuyasha's favorite color had been red then he had nothing compared to Fumio who had blood red hair, crimson eyes, and red markings. Fumio looked threatening, dressed in a blood red kimono with red claws and a menacing look about him. In all honesty he made her husband look like the adorable puppy he was inside. Still Fumio made her nervous as she sat back and rubbed her bulging belly to look over the inuyōkai who looked intently at her mate who sat beside her with his dog ear twitching in unease.

"You seemed eager to get Sesshomaru," Kagome commented.

"Yes, who are you?" Chieko asked pointedly looking at Inuyasha. Fumio whacked his friend upside the head in a manner that made her think of Ginta and Hokkaku with Koga. She watched as Chieko glared at Fumio and Fumio vehnemently shook his head at his friend.

"Ignore him, we do not see many hanyōs." Fumio growled while glaring at Inuyasha. Inuyasha shrugged but she knew he was a tad bit hurt over their attitudes. She also noted that they hadn't taken a single sip of tea. Perhaps that was a inuyōkai thing or perhaps…

"Is the tea not to your liking?" Kagome asked sweetly. Chieko paled, then gave a nervous smile while Fumio turned red.

"N-n-no! We would not wish to offend the mate of the Inu no Taisho but we don't…wedontdrinkhumanbeverages!" Chieko rushed out quickly. Kagome paled then, her? Mate? Inu no Taisho? She looked to Inuyasha who sat there looking as dumbstruck as she.

"_**WHAT!?**_" Inuyasha roared and there was no stopping him then as he bodily threw their guest out. Kagome just looked at her bulge then sighed as she carefully got to her feet to break up yet another fight her mate had leapt into.

* * *

Inuyasha lunged for the blue idiot in an attempt to wring his neck when the red one threw him back then. His drew Tetsusiaga and snarled.

"She's mine! Not his!" Inuyasha growled, he was highly offended that they thought Kagome belonged to his brother. He was a more than adequate mate for her.

"Enough!" Inuyasha's amber gaze narrowed onto his silver brother who was standing tall with Tenseiga at his side. Who did he think he was to tell him enough when he was defending his claim on Kagome!? Did Sesshomaru not know how infuriating it was to have his claim on his mate challenged!? But there was a look in his brother's cold amber eyes which had the two colorful buffoons cowering and his own ears flattening against his head as he stood in a defensive stance.

"Inuyasha is the son of InuTaisho, he is not Inu no Taisho and the miko is not mine." Sesshomaru's voice was dripping with disdain then, Inuyasha frowned. Of course Kagome wasn't Sesshomaru's, Kagome was his but the disdain he heard in his brother's voice had his lip curling back then.

"Oh!" the idiots then looked at him before bowing to him. His ears came up then as he stood there wide eyed at the sight before him. No one had ever bowed to him but his inu instincts liked it, he was a dominate over them though he was still a subordinate to his brother. But he didn't mind, at least he was being acknowledged.

"I am sorry for the blunder, I did not know that InuTaisho had had another son and assumed the mark belonged to my lord," Chieko explained.

"What mark!?" Kagome demanded sharply, Inuyasha winced as he turned to look at his mate. He had marked her a while ago but he had never explained the mark…he didn't like the glare his wife was giving him.

"You know, that mark…" he trailed off.

"What are you two still doing here, be gone," Sesshomaru said coldly to the two colorful inuyōkai before turning around.

"But, my lord!" Fumio shouted after him. "There's a war coming!"

* * *

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

Izayoi stood there in her garden. It had been a week since she had last seen Rin and she had just assumed the girl had continued with her journey. Rin had arrived in the early spring when everything had started blooming but now as summer came to an end Izayoi couldn't help but miss her viberent friend. But she had a feeling that Rin, much like spring and summer, was always fleeting to give a moment of joy then be gone.

Izayoi smiled slightly as she walked through her garden to the back wall. The moon hung in the sky with a grace she did not understand and Rin's words rang through her head as she glance down at the herb Rin had slipped her. Climbing over the wall Izayoi smiled slightly before dropping into the forest to find the inuyōkai she could not resist.

And she knew why she couldn't resist him.

That precious rogue was the only one she loved.

* * *

**Sorry about yesterday, but George is an ass! He kept eating everything (and for those of you just tuning in George is my computer, I named him because I yelled at it so much). I'll be posting two more chapters today and that's it; else I'll be taking a hammer to George... **

**There'll be a chapter of Because I love You (long overdue and I'm sorry about that but c'est la vie... Besides there's been a ton of stuff going on in my life that I've been dealing with so I haven't had quality writing time) and a chapter of Healing Pain (working on a fun fight scene there).**

**That's all for now folks; tomorrow my updates should track with what I have posted in At A Beginning: Chapter 39 provided George doesn't eat my work. If he does... God Help Him!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	55. At A Beginning: Chapter 43

**At a Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Solitude:** _Remoteness; a quality of quiet or remoteness or seclusion in places from which human activity is generally absent…_

* * *

**Chapter 43**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village... (The night of Rin's departure down the well)**_

"War?" Kagome asked in shock. Sesshomaru frowned as he continued to walk away.

"Yeah, the humans are rallying against us and the yōkai clans are coming together to fight this threat, the inuyōkai clan needs the Inu no Taisho to lead them," Fumio explained. Sesshomaru just stood there and now watched the group as the discussed what he had known for a while. His father had claimed this would happen one day. This was a part of the reason Sesshomaru never understood his father's attitude.

InuTaisho had despised humans with a fiery passion, even as a pup. But Rin had always stood proudly before InuTaisho despite her being human; even as a pup he remembered her standing between him and his parents. So centuries of his father's obvious hatred of humans had 'rubbed off' on him. Though in truth that wasn't how he worked; Sesshomaru hated everyone equally, he was just exclusively hated a few and only loved one. But since InuTaisho hated humans it had shocked and infuriated Sesshomaru when he had mated Izayoi.

Izayoi was a kind enough human, Sesshomaru would admit that. But his father had fallen hard for that human, InuTaisho had gone from a hater of humans to an advocate for the humans and hanyōs of the world in a matter of two years. Sesshomaru disgust and hatred for his father was not in bedding a human; Kami knew he couldn't complain when he had bedded Rin then; but rather in his father's hypocritical ways. And it had cost Sesshomaru what was most dear. Well he did not care about this war to come, it had been coming for a millennium anyway.

"Oh! This is why…" Inuyasha trailed off and Sesshomaru lifted a brow menacingly.

"Wait! Is this why there are no yōkai in my time!?" Kagome shouted at his back, he shrugged.

"No, Kagome, there's yōkai in your time, your friend Yuka is part Ookami," Inuyasha said and Sesshomaru tilted his head a bit. Inuyasha shrugged.

"What!?"

"I don't think she knew, but it was rather obvious with that scent, and yōkai were in your time. They just weren't obvious," Inuyasha shrugged.

"Then what's this war about?" Kagome asked as she gently rubbed her bulge. Sesshomaru frown, this war to come was what all wars were about.

Power.

Nothing more, humans were greedy arrogant creatures who always desired more power. And they though themselves advanced enough to take the power. Sesshomaru knew better, he already knew how this war would play out and honestly he was not interested in fighting it. Yōkai would win, they would probably integrate themselves in with the humans and disappear from the obvious world. They would probably maintain a subtle form of supreme power but he wasn't certain. Yoaki in general were survivors. The Inu Clan wouldn't need him.

"My lord, you must aid us! With your help we could annihilate the humans once and for all." Chieko informed him, he glared at the blue inuyōkai who shrunk where he stood. Sesshomaru did not care about eradicating humans or yōkai, all he cared about was down that fucking well! And she had yet to resurface so honestly he couldn't give a fuck one way or the other what happened with this 'war' to come. All he cared was that this well was not tampered with until Rin surfaced. After she surfaced he was going to destroy this fucking menace, seriously the well was just created to fuck with him and his life. And from the time he was a pup to now he hated that well with a fiery passion none could understand. But if this war attacked the well…

"Hn."

"My lord!" Fumio shouted in a voice worse than Jaken's. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and the red yōkai also tried to shrink in his place.

"I am not fighting in this war," Sesshomaru said firmly then he sat on the lip of the well again and waited for Rin as the moon rose. She had better come back soon, it felt like centuries since she had left him rather than the day it really had been.

"But my lord!"

"Lemme talk to him," Inuyasha said and Sesshomaru ignored the bumbling idiots as they walked away with Kagome. Sesshomaru ignored Inuyasha too as he sat there looking down the well waiting for Rin. She had better get here soon, he had a few choice things to tell her for her impulsive decision to leap down this fucking well and leave him here with these idiots. And yes, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kohaku, and Inuyasha were all idiots! Not to mention Jaken too but he had sent Jaken on an errand to leave him alone with Rin for a week and now she was down that fucking well doing only Kami knew for what!?

The mark on his chest heated, he winced a bit internally as he held onto Tenseiga. When she got back he had a few choice things to tell her. Particularly about her wasting a precious week they would have had together since he had managed to rid them of Jaken.

"You know time there and here move differently, right?" Inuyasha asked as he leaned over the well.

"Hn," he knew.

"Then stop waiting for her she'll come back Sesshomaru, for now work on what you have in front of you. Besides a war might be a good way to pass the time," Inuyasha said nonchalantly.

"Why? It's a pointless struggle, yōkai will prevail," Sesshomaru pointed out. Inuyasha just sighed then they both stared down the well.

"What happened to Rin? Why are you so compelled to sit here waiting for her when that could take years, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha demanded sharply. Sesshomaru glared at his younger sibling, then looked down the well again.

He couldn't explain it.

All the blood, the screams from him as he watched her be stabbed, the panic, the fear of her dying. The way she smiled with blood on her lips and a weak hold on his shoulder when he grabbed her and ran. The calm way she told him what had to be done, and the sheer pain he felt when he had let her go. He couldn't explain the way it felt like he had been dead for centuries between seeing her, and then finding that bloodied little corpse of the woman he would come to love more than life. No there were somethings he could never explain, and this was one of them.

"Because, she'll be dying when she returns," Sesshomaru answered finally.

Inuyasha stiffened.

* * *

**Sorry about yesterday, literally right after I posted the chapter for Healing Pain I received some really, really, really bad news and was devastated for the rest of the day. I'm still devistated today and scared, terrified more like it, but I figured that instead of wallowing in this terror I'd write today. So there will probably be a lot of updates for all of you because I'm trying to keep my mind from heading in all the awful directions. Not that it's working but it's worth a shot since I'd rather write than dwell. **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =| (Sorry, I can't really smile or bring myself to post a smile)**


	56. At A Beginning: Chapter 44

**At A Beginning...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Solitude: **_Remoteness; a quality of quiet or remoteness or seclusion in places from which human activity is generally absent…_

* * *

**Chapter 44**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"Have you seen Rin?" Takemaru asked a servant as he walked through his home.

"No, my lord," the old woman replied.

"Hm, have you seen Lady Izayoi?" he asked.

"No my lord," and he continued walking down the hall. This was all very odd, even odder was that no one seemed to have seen Izayoi tonight either. Just where was his intended disappearing to at night and where was Rin, no one had seen the odd maid for a few days now.

* * *

"So you came," InuTaisho stared at the beautiful woman who was walking through the fall mist of the forest towards him. She looked gorgeous, she looked mesmerizing, she looked enchanting. Her large brown eyes looked up at him as she approached him.

"You did ask me to come," she pointed out. He smiled slightly, so he had asked her to come. He offered her his hand, she took it without hesitation which he thought was progress as they started walking through the forest.

"So I did," he agreed as they walked through the forest. The woman seemed a bit nervous but he didn't take it personally, at least she was brave enough to be with an Inu Daiyōkai when he should terrify her. Though he had a sneaking suspicious he'd have to thank Rin for her encouraging Izayoi. His eyes wandered over the woman with him and a smile tugged his lips as he eyed the unmarked spot on her neck, the temptation was killing him.

"So why did you ask for me?" the woman asked with a nervous smile. He caught her chin then.

"Do you love someone?" he asked seriously. It was irritating him to no end not knowing what this woman was thinking but according to Rin humans were very different from yōkai. According to her humans acted off of emotions called love, not that he completely understood that emotion. Love was not something inuyōkai felt, or knew, but he understood that from Rin it was what made human bonds. Humans did not have soulmates or mates like yōkai and acted on this emotion called love. According to her humans were not required to be faithful partners and did seek companionship when their partners did not provide it.

This InuTaisho did not understand. Mates were something to revere, adore, and protect, they were the only ones that mattered and once a bond was established there would be no breaking it. And if humans were so different from yōkai he wished to understand. He hadn't been able to talk to Rin because Rin was more like a yōkai than a human but Izayoi…he could pester her mercilessly with questions about humans and have her answer them. He was most curious to understand why his son had a human mate

Mates were predestined creatures and not something one chose, he knew this well for he had lived three thousand years and never felt a pull to any female he consorted with. Well that wasn't true, he was having the most unusual reaction to this human. There was this irresistible pull he felt towards her.

"W-what kind of question is that!?" Izayoi asked in a strangled voice.

"I'm just curious, my daughter-in-law says humans do not have to be faithful mates, they act on an emotion they call love or lust," he informed her. Izayoi blushed to his delight but he didn't know why the woman was blushing. Rin had never blushed at any of his questions, she had always answered openly and honestly.

"Yes, that is true, and no I do not love anyone," Izayoi answered as they walked. He finally found a good spot and tugged the woman down to the ground with him. She squeaked.

"Really? But Rin said you have a partner," he said.

"And who did Rin say was my 'partner'? If she said it's Takemaru then she's lying and when I get my hands on her I'll wring her scrawny little neck," Izayoi said that with such a conviction and malace that he believed her. Not that she was likely to hurt Rin; his son would never let that happen but he was concerned for Rin when she returned.

"She never said who your partner was just that when the time was right I would know," he poked the woman's forehead then. She frowned.

"That makes no sense." Izayoi said firmly.

"Rin is not required to make sense," he repeated his daughter-in-law word for word then. Izayoi rolled onto her stomach in the field and his mind went numb.

"She said something similar to me when she gave me this herb," Izayoi's fingers uncurled then and he looked at a little plant which he didn't know. He had no idea what it meant, but if Rin had given it to Izayoi then she had done it with a purpose.

"I wonder why…" he smirked as he rolled atop Izayoi who looked over her shoulder with wide eyes at him. "What did Rin say to do with this herb?"

"Make it in a tea and drink it after…being with you." Izayoi was blushing and he moved that heavy black hair to the side to look at the spot on her neck which called for him. Before he really thought about what he was doing he gently pressed his lips to that spot, it was impulse and it was a demand and it was something he could no longer ignore.

"I-I-InuTaisho!" Izayoi stammered out then as she again stiffened beneath him. He smirked.

"I didn't just ask you to come to talk to you, I can't seem to leave you alone my lady," he informed her as he looked at her.

"This is very improper!" she snapped at him, but he noted the female made no move to run like good prey would. Instead he scented something far more enticing than her fear or her innocence, it was a scent which had his inner beast growling with pleasure.

"Then how about I make you my mate and make it human proper?" he growled in her ear, his eyes bled red in anticipation.

"Why?"

"Because, you belong to me," he growled before he flipped her over and kissed her. She gasped but went limp and though he knew he was breaking every law he had ever created for the inuyōkai he didn't care. This felt right, it felt right for the first time in his life, it always was making him feel whole. Was this what it felt like to have a mate?

Perhaps he'd have Sesshomaru tell him, one day…

* * *

**I would have my Father's Day Special but I spent all day out with my dad so I don't, I'll be posting it later this week though. **

**The updates will be played by ear this week though after I finish a certain set of gifts I have a feeling I'll be finishing up a few things...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	57. At A Beginning: Chapter 45

**At A Beginning...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Solitude:** _Remoteness; a quality of quiet or remoteness or seclusion in places from which human activity is generally absent…_

* * *

**Chapter 45**

_**Inuyasha's Time In the Edo Village... (the night of Rin's departure down the well)**_

"Why's he so obsessed about that well?" Kagome looked up at the blue one when he spoke the question.

"Well a friend of his leapt down it earlier today and she hasn't returned yet…" Kagome sighed.

"Nah, he's been obsessed with that well for centuries," the red one, she was relatively certain his name was Fumio, shrugged. "He nearly killed us one night for trying to get at a human girl who had leapt down the well but when we all finally looked down the well there was nothing. But I swear to Kami-sama there was a small human girl who had leapt into the well."

"Sesshomaru was not happy…" Chieko trailed off when Sesshomaru entered her hut. Kagome winced a bit as she felt a slight cramp in her lower abdomen but ignored it because she was not in labor or anything. Though her back was killing her, there was this persistent ache in her lower back which felt like an evil leprechaun digging an icepick into her nerves. She groaned a bit but shook her head at Inuyasha when he lifted a brow and perked his ears in a silent question.

"You said the yōkai clans were gathering for war, where?" Sesshomaru asked coldly.

* * *

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"You want me to forge what!?" the old swordsmith choked out. InuTaisho smirked slightly then, of course his order would be a challenge but he figured it was the best that he do this now rather than later. Rin said he'd be needing these fangs and she had said that they were unrivialed in power, but he still yearned for her fang, Bakusaiga. No matter, he'd make his own powerful fang.

"I need you to forge two swords from my fang, I need one to be a force for protecting man and the other to steal a soul back from the netherworld." Rin said the purpose of the Tenseiga was to revive those who died only once, though she had died twice and been revived twice. He'd have to steal a particular stone to revive her the second time, and he knew InuKimi would not be happy with this news but it was important that Sesshomaru no lose Rin. Even he knew this though Rin insisted she was nothing special or important to his son. She had no idea just what she'd meant to his son, and until recently he hadn't known what she could've meant to Sesshomaru.

"It will take some time," Tōtōsai said carefully.

"You have one moon to forge both swords and have them working," InuTaisho said as he turned away. "That is plenty of time is it not?"

"I will have it done master," the old man grumbled and he smiled slightly before he lunged forward into his true form to seek what Rin had called the Meidostone because he would need it for the Tenseiga. He would not fail his son though he knew Sesshomaru would never know what was being done so his mate would be there for him in the future.

* * *

Izayoi sat in her garden and blushed slightly as she thought back to what had happened that night. She never knew a male could be so caring or tender, she had heard the maids whisper about the pain and discomfort. She had heard the ladies of court swear it was the most uncomfortable thing in the world having a man between their legs but Izayoi couldn't see how it was uncomfortable. True it had hurt at first, but she knew it would hurt the first time; she was a healer after all. And after the pain had subsided, InuTaisho began moving and it had felt heavenly. But he had been the most patient creature as he waited for her to be comfortable after he had all but ripped her apart. The thoughts of that night made her sigh in bliss and blush at the memories.

The only thing she hadn't liked was the way he had dug his teeth into her shoulder leaving a strange reddish-purple scar which wouldn't just disappear. InuTaisho also seemed to have a strange obsession with the mark which she wanted to hide all the time, he had all but ripped her kimono off when she had tried to cover it. Which had infuriated her because it was the only evidence of her night of sin, and if Takemaru saw it there'd be hell to pay. And yes, Takemaru was someone she worried about because Takemaru would probably marry her instantly and then force himself on her.

InuTaisho hadn't liked it when she had told him the truth while she boiled that herb Rin had given her. The tea was bitter but she drank it all as Rin had instructed. Izayoi sighed again, she touched her lower abdomen and wondered if she could see InuTaisho again, she wanted to have him in her again and she wanted him whispering words and praises of love in her ear as he moved in her. She wanted that again, perhaps she could also have a child.

She wondered what a child between herself and InuTaisho would look like…

* * *

Sesshomaru looked at the well again then he enveloped himself in light and traveled to his mother's castle. He wondered where his Rin had gone but at the same time he had to keep up his appearance of being the alpha to be, not that he was thrilled to be leaving the strange well behind.

He had been furious when his mate had been chased, but he had been even more shocked when he had finally thrown the brutes away from the well to see there was no one down there, again. He had watched the well intently for the past month waiting for her to reappear but nothing. It was as if Rin had simply vanished again, and now he had to actually resume his duties as InuTaisho's son and heir. Not that he really wanted to leave the well again.

Where the hell had his mate gone?

* * *

**That's the end of Part II: At A Beginning folks! **

**Thank You To All My Silent Readers, I Hope You Have Enjoy Part II: At A Beginning! =)**

**A Special Thanks To My Reviewers, though I do not write for reviews you should know they are greatly appreciated! =)**

**Thank You for Reviewing: Sotem, jj, Taraah36, Lady Shenzuki, Miss Karo, en-mi-carzon-para-siempre, sakurahimeo7777, Alienarcher326, Kibachow, rinshy, rinyuki2014, rosaji, Asahi, blackacess, KarliCM, WaterPrincess17, crazykenz, theharleygirl2010, Guest, xXxsailorFanxXx, PAMILA DE CASTRO, XeraQuick, KaelynRayne, kakkn, arandomfan, Guest, Crimson Fakewings, kittykatjazz, The Only Love For Soujiro Seta, NekoxUsa, SkyKite, anonymous, inuyashabunny91, ANINQUA, Guest, Dola, Mela, WhiteDogwood, Leostar87, Londa1795, Nis3, PenguinsHockey14, Merry Mary, Anonymous, Guest, Guest, vidanime, and Hinagiku! **

**You're all awesome for the support, if I missed you I'm sorry and Thank You for the Support!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Part III: Mysteries of You will be coming July 24, 2015!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	58. At A Beginning: A Silver Night

**A Silver Night…**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

**Lemon Warning?**

* * *

**Innocence:**_ Chastity; Sexual Inexperience…_

* * *

**At A Beginning...**

"I know you are following me, my lord," her voice rang out sweet and clear in the night.

He made no sound to reply as he slipped silently up behind her.

"My lord," she turned around to smile at him, he frowned at her as he approached her. "Why can you not just leave me alone?"

He pulled her collar aside to reveal the mark she always tried to conceal so others did not know about it. It was a habit from her childhood, one he had forced on her for her safety. Though why she'd need that habit was beyond her as she stood there looking up at him. Much to her irritation he traced the mark and a shiver coursed through her body then, she looked at him and wondered what he saw when he looked at the mark. She also wondered why he could never leave the mark alone, it wasn't as if it were a special mark or anything, it was just another scar on her person.

"What does this mark mean?" Rin asked in a soft voice as she looked at him. He tilted her chin back.

"That you are mine," he said firmly.

"Yes I am, but why the mark?" Rin asked seriously. Her patience was waning because she so desperately wanted to understand what this mark was to him and why it was so important and why he seemed to obsess over it. No matter what time she was in it appeared her lord had an obsession with the mark.

He smirked before he bent over to lightly kiss her. He tugged her chin down and deepened the kiss as he roughly backed her up to a tree, Rin gasped when her back was harshly shoved against the tree but she didn't care as he never broke the kiss. This felt right. She didn't know what about this felt right but it all felt like it was supposed to be as her fingers entwined themselves in his thick silver hair. Sesshomaru pulled away from her mouth then as his lips grazed her jawline, down her throat to that mark. A low groan escaped her lips as he began sucking the mark, his fangs grazed over it as well. All pleasure seemed centered around that mark then and she couldn't think.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed. It was the only thought on her mind, her lord was kissing her in a way she had only fantasized about but she had never known he could kiss her so intensely even if he was not kissing her lips. True Kohaku had snagged a kiss or two from her, but it was just a brush of lips and nothing more because she had never let it become more. Besides, if Sesshomaru found out then Kohaku would not live. And she was only human, so she had fanaticized about being kissed but nothing like this, in all honesty Rin hadn't even known feeling like this could exist.

"Rin," he growled before he came back up to kiss her. She moaned against his mouth as she opened hers up for his tongue to invade. They had a duel for dominance but he would win, he always won. Rin lost her grip in his hair as her arms came around his shoulders and he lifted her up to continue kissing her. Sesshomaru pulled away from her mouth then, she groaned in disappointment as she looked at his golden eyes. There was a fire in those cold eyes she had never seen before and it had her shivering in delight. She had done this! She had made the King of Ice melt to her desires as he studied her in the moonlight.

"Mine," he nipped her bottom lip. Rin just blinked up at his smug profile and smiled a bit as she brought her lips up to meet his again. Her mouth moved against his and his reaction had her crashing against a tree again. He growled, something snapped beside her head; literally, there were splinters falling into his hair and against her skin. She squeaked when something small stabbed her cheek, he pulled away; there was red in his eyes but the irises were still gold as he studied her. His tongue flicked against her cheek, she gasped at the sensation and then he pulled her down into the field of silver flowers.

"My lord?" Rin looked up at him questioningly when he pulled Bakusaiga from her obi and rested it within reaching distance of her. He came over her with a faintly, smug, grin on his perfect lips as he brought his face within a mere breath of hers'.

"Do you know how long I've restrained myself?" he asked her in a voice she would never have though he had. His claws traced her cheek as she stared at his flickering red eyes, his jagged marks, and elongated fangs.

"No?" Rin whispered as his hand continued down the front of her yukata. A feral smile curled his lips, she felt her body quiver in delight and in an anticipation she hadn't known she'd feel as she stared up at his eyes.

"Forever," he snarled in a ragged voice before material ripped. She gasped from shock and the cold then jumped in surprise when his hands snaked over her bare skin. His tongue traced her earlobe then, she moaned from the heat of the contact. "Feels like forever, Rin," he growled in her ear.

She didn't know what to do when his mouth came down on hers' and his hands caressed her breasts softly at first. Then she groaned when his devious fingers rolled her nipples, she felt his claws inflict slight scratches on her skin but she didn't care as she arched into the touch.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed when he pulled his lips away to trace her jawline to the mark. She didn't like the silk beneath her fingers, she growled in slight frustration but she couldn't seem to move her heavy lover. He seemed content doing nothing more than sucking, licking, tracing, and nipping that mark, but she wanted to feel him. She wanted that more than he would know as she finally found the strength to roll them over. Straddling his hips she grinned in satisfaction though what was left of what had been her kimono hung limply on her. Shrugging it off she smiled as she came down and kissed her lord on his lips softly.

"I like this better," she whispered to him.

"Hn," was his response, she smiled a bit as she left a trail of kisses over his jawline. Her fingers were fumbling with his sash, she wanted him as naked as she was but it appeared that her fingers weren't cooperating. Her lord's hands came to rest firmly on her hips before he sat up then. She looked into his red eyes, the irises were no longer gold but rather a feral turquoise then. The sight was shocking but it wasn't revolting to her as his tongue flicked over his lips. She mirrored the action, then he smiled revealing his fangs, she didn't have a chance to react before they were scraping over her neck back to the mark.

"If you wanted me undressed you should've said something," he grumbled against her skin; his voice was shaking her body with it's deep vibration. She moaned.

"Then undress," she ordered.

"No," she frowned when his mouth came back over hers'. She really wanted nothing more than to feel his body, she wanted to feel him, she wanted to feel his heat, his strength, him. Rin groaned when he pulled her hips closer to his and something brushed between them, something hard. "I do not take orders," he growled out as one arm wrapped around her and the other clawed hand rested on her thigh. Rin stared into his eyes and pouted a bit. She didn't liked being the only bare member. He laid her back in the flowers.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" she whispered when he was propped above her, his silver hair sheilded her from the world as it fell around her. She then screamed in shock and pleasure as something sharp pierced her and his thumb rubbed that bundle of nerves between her legs. Spreading her legs further he settled between them.

Her eyes were watching his flickering red ones, they changed colors so often it was mesmerizing; she had never seen him like this and she had been raised by him. Rin knew all about his personality, she was the only creature in this world who did not fear his beast or his transformation but he always had it under control so he rarely transformed. Only in moments of intense rage or extreme emotion would his beast surface and even then he seemed in control of the transformation. His changing eyes flicked to hers and there was a devilish glint in them before his lips curled into a smile which made her body pulse with an ache she didn't know she could have.

Then she moaned as he moved her hips into a rhythm. Something felt odd so she looked between her legs, his hand was definitely busy and fear coursed through her momentarily. Claws! She looked at her lord before another looking back at what he was doing to her. Her hips continued to move in the rhythm he set, it felt to pleasurable to stop but she worried about his poison claws when he slid another finger between her folds. Rin moaned loudly as her head fell back into the flowers.

Who cared about his claws!? Who cared about his poison!? Who cared about his venom!?

She didn't so long as he did not stop what he was doing. A scream ripped through her as his thumb continued teasing her and he slid a third finger into her. He hissed, but she didn't know why as she arched against him.

"You're so tight," he growled.

"Is that bad?" she moaned, though she hadn't thought she could even form a coherent sound. His eyes looked amused.

"No," he kissed her again as he picked up the pace in the rhythm. Rin groaned as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, this devious fingers! His kiss was sloppy, heated, demanding, and mind numbing as he moved her. The pleasure building up in her was consuming her.

"My lord, I can't," she breathed as she let her head fall back. She didn't know what she couldn't do but she couldn't continue as he continued his relentless rhythm.

"I have a name," he teased as he traced the lobe of her ear with his tongue.

"My lord," she replied automatically. His fangs tugged on her ear then, she groaned as she fought against the pleasure that was consuming her. Her fingers dug into the silk as her head came back to his shoulder, she was panting as her body frantically continued to follow his rhythm. The mind numbing pleasure made her bite her lip to fight back screaming.

"Let go," she could hear the command in his voice as he quickened the pace of the rhythm he had her set in. She groaned loudly as he sat her up and continued his thrusting. Damn his calloused fingers and their devious antics! She didn't know if she hated him or loved him at his moment as she tried to hang onto her sanity.

"I can't," she hissed at him between clenched teeth. Her eyes squeezed shut against the sensations coursing through her.

"Let go, Rin," his voice was hoarse but commanding all the same.

"Sesshomaru!" she screamed in his elfin ear as her head fell back and the pleasure over took her. His lips attacked the mark again as she clung to him trying to grasp her sanity. There was a growl, she was pretty certain it was from him as she fell into the flowers again trying to catch her breath. Her chest was heaving and he withdrew his fingers then. They glistened with juices from her in the moonlight, his claws looked…dangerous but thrilling at the same time. She watched in fascination as he licked his fingers clean of her then, his eyes never left hers'.

They were feral eyes, wild eyes, they were a brilliant shade of red which had her body quaking in fear and heating up with anticipation.

He finished cleaning his fingers when he stood up. There was a growl as he stripped his clothes off, she watched in captivation as his body was revealed to her. The moonlight made him even more silver as he stood there in the field of white flowers above her. Her eyes wondered over his smooth muscles, his darker, magenta yōkai markings marring his fair skin and settled on his manhood.

Rin had stumbled upon a few boys bathing a time or two, she had seen both Shippo and Kohaku but neither of them were built like this! He was huge! Her eyes widened as she looked from his erection to him then back. He came back down on top of her.

"Relax," he ordered as his lips brushed her jawline then.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin whispered.

"Trust me," he growled as he resumed his attentions on that mark. She moaned as his tongue traced the moon scar he had given her as a child. Her eyes fluttered shut then as she took a deep breath and relaxed to him again. She brought her hands to rest on his biceps as she spread her legs further apart and lifted her knees higher.

This was Sesshomaru, he was always her Sesshomaru no matter what time he was from and she would never deny him. She loved him, every version of him there was, every part of him, every aspect of him, and all of him. She loved him with an intensity few could understand and fewer could express and if this was what he wanted, even if he was not her Sesshomaru he was still her Sesshomaru and she would not deny him. Besides she really wanted him too, and she was just enough like her lord to not deny herself what she desired.

"I trust you my lord," Rin breathed when he grabbed her hips and she felt something pressing in on her. Her eyes opened to see her lord's gold eyes looking down at her. He never looked away as he pressed into her, there was stinging, and an uncomfortable sense of being stretched. Reflexively her fingers dug into his upper arms, she hissed a bit in discomfort when he pulled away. She watched as his eyes bled red, he came down and kissed her before he rammed into her in one sure thrust.

A scream tore from her but was swallowed by him as he held her still. A tear rolled down her temple then as she shut her eyes against him. It felt as if she were being ripped apart, it felt so alien having him in her, stretching her and filling her. The pain which had been a sharp stab like pain was now receding to be a dull ache which was slowly fading. Sesshomaru pulled away from her, she kept her eyes shut but she felt his tongue lick away her tears. Finally the pain was subsided and all she felt was…uncomfortable and odd. She was stretched, unbelievably stretched, and full. Her eyes finally opened to look into a set of cold gold eyes, there was a flicker of heat in them though.

Hesitantly she reached up and traced the magenta stripes on his cheek. She groaned a bit when he pulled out of her then pushed in again in a slow even rhythm. The strokes were slow meassured and mesmerizing as her hips slowly fell into his rhythm again. He took a hand between them where they were joined, she stared at him and what he was doing when his mouth caught hers.

She just about screamed when his fingers found that bundle of nerves again. He lightly tugged them, she arched as she clung to him and let out a silent scream against his mouth. His fingers continued to torment the nub as he quickened his thrusting pace. There was a feral growl when he ripped himself away from her mouth. She gasped for breath before she moaned as he again attacked the mark.

What was his obsession with the mark?

She wondered this briefly before, she gasped as he continued his relentless pace which her hips were now meeting stroke for stroke until they were effortless. It felt like there was some kind of war between them as tension built in her. There was that liquid pleasure filling her again, but she didn't want to let go, she didn't want to surrender to it again as she clung to her lord. She didn't want to let go without him.

"Rin," he grunted her name.

"Sess…" she trailed off as she moaned again her body arching in pleasure but not surrendering, she wouldn't surrender just yet. Her eyes shut as she fought back the pleasure. But between his fingers and his rhythm it was a futile war and one she was losing as she groaned again. She bit her lip, then there were lips on her, he tugged her bottom lip as he kissed her deeply.

That was it, she lost, her body arched in delight as she screamed his name and hung onto him. His rhythm became erratic and harsh and unbelievably fast as he pounded into her. Finally the pleasure she felt subsided as she collapsed. Rin lay in the flowers gasping, he thrusted a few more times before he let out something close to a low howl and warmth filled her. His seed, her heart warmed at that as he collapsed on her. Tomorrow she'd take care of this problem but for now she'd enjoy it.

A soft smile played on her lips as she weakly brought a hand to his head and her fingers began combing his silky silver hair. He hadn't pulled out of her yet, she didn't want him too just yet. But for some reason he felt…swollen in her. She looked at her lover as he rested on top of her.

"Sesshomaru?" she breathed.

"Hn?"

"Is it…are you…why?" she couldn't seem to form the question when he propped himself up onto his elbows to look down at her. She felt herself blush like Inuyasha's firerat kimono then, there was a serious look in those red-turquoise, golden eyes which were still flickering between colors and his appearance was also flickering between being jagged and smooth. It was as if his inner yōkai had yet to figure out if it wanted to surface or not.

"Do not worry about it Rin, everything is fine," he said calmly then rolled them over so she lay on his chest. "Just relax, Rin."

"Yes my lord," Rin yawned as she snuggled against her lord's chest. His mokomoko wrapped around them then, she smiled slightly as she lay there and let her eyes close.

This Sesshomaru, though younger than the one who would raise her, was her Sesshomaru. She loved him and she was happy beyond belief to be laying here in this silver field of flowers under the moonlight with him. It felt like this was meant to be, like this was always destined to happen. And as silly as that sounded it was comforting her at this moment as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Sesshomaru lay there toying with the human's black hair and stared at her sleeping face as she snuggled against his chest. Her ear was rest right on his heart, he wondered if she even noticed how wildly it was beating from her being near him. Probably not, and if Rin had noticed she wouldn't say anything. He smirked as he propped himself up and looked his mate over in the moonlight. She looked thoroughly pleased, sedated, and happy as she snuggled against his chest and her legs draped on either side of his hips while he was still buried in her. Yes. He liked this very much, this felt wonderful even with him knotted within his mate this felt like home.

He didn't know when, he didn't know how, he didn't even know why but he was glad he had marked this little human. Because even some inuyōkai bitches were terrified of his inner yōkai and when his beast surfaced. Rin hadn't expressed fear, she had only looked at him with love and for that…

She would never truly know how grateful he was for that as he finally pulled out of her. She whimpered in protest in her sleep, he smiled a bit as he pressed his lips to the top of her head then.

Sesshomaru wrapped his mate up securely in mokomoko and smiled to himself as he hugged her to him. He didn't remember when he had marked this human but he was glad he had. Now the trouble would be keeping his hands off her, his inner beast surfaced and growled in agreement. Keeping his hands off of her would be most difficult because not even a thousand years would dampen his desires for this human.

'_Just this once,' her voice whispered._

He blinked at the old memory then looked at his sleeping Rin. Shaking his head he decided to hold her for the rest of the night because he didn't need the sleep.

Rin was a true mystery to him.

* * *

**A friend of mine gave me another challenge for a lemon and I'm not certain I rose to the occasion but I tried and I rarely to back down from challenges. Anyways she asked me to write Sesshomaru and Rin's first night in this story. And since someone had a good idea of me putting this as a bonus chapter that's what I'm doing. **

**I hope this isn't all that bad though honestly I'm not certain, like I said in Crescent Moon Night I don't really write lemons. They're way too much work for my liking, still I don't mind challenging myself. I know it's not a great lemon but hey hope you guys like it.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	59. At A Beginning: Expierencing the Planned

**Experiencing the Planned…**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Innocence:** _Chasity; Sexual Inexperience..._

* * *

**At A Beginning...**

"Really? But Rin said you have a partner," he said.

"And who did Rin say was my 'partner'? If she said it's Takemaru then she's lying and when I get my hands on her I'll wring her scrawny little neck," Izayoi snarled. If Rin claimed for that monster to be her partner then she was strangling this daiyōkai and then tracking Rin down to skewer her. There was no way Izayoi was Takemaru's woman nor would she ever be his. Recently she had begun making her own plans for escape because belonging to Takemaru was her version of a nightmare and being around Rin had taught her that she just might make in the world beyond Takemaru's compound.

"She never said who your partner was just that when the time was right I would know," he poked the woman's forehead then. She frowned.

"That makes no sense." Izayoi said firmly.

"Rin is not required to make sense," he said this as if it were some strange fact of life. And for some reason to her it sounded completely logical and factual because Rin rarely ever made sense. Izayoi rolled onto her stomach in the field as she pondered what Rin's true meanings in life were or what she was planning. For some reason this all felt too…planned. It was as if Rin knew she wouldn't be able to resist InuTaisho or that she would want to be around the inu daiyōkai despite everything she had been raised believing about inuyōkai.

"She said something similar to me when she gave me this herb," Izayoi's fingers uncurled then to reveal the herb Rin had told her to use in her teas mornings after InuTaisho should she and the mighty inuyōkai ever be intimate. The thought brought a blush to Izayoi's cheeks then as she nestled into the grass. It wasn't likely that the mighty InuTaisho was attracted or interested in her so why had Rin given her this herb? Rin was so cryptic at times it was irritating! Izayoi wanted to go pound her head against a wall or something!

"I wonder why…" she heard him whisper then he rolled atop her, she stiffened as she looked over her shoulder into a set of mischievous gold eyes and a handsome face with a devious smile on his lips. The man would be the death of her! Did he seriously not see how improper this was!? Not that she really wanted him to move. She loved the feel of him against her. "What did Rin say to do with this herb?"

"Make it in a tea and drink it after…being with you." She felt herself go red as she looked back at the herb. Rin had explained what 'with him' meant but it wasn't like she'd go about seducing him. It was improper and it was just weird. Besides, the InuTaisho moving her heavy mass of hair didn't feel anything for her beyond amusement. She was certain that this was how prey felt before it was captured then slaughtered, all InuTaisho ever did was toy with her! Even now he was toying with her as he pulled aside her hair. She froze when his lips were softly pressed against the junction of her neck connecting to her shoulder.

"I-I-InuTaisho!" she stammered out in shock, there was a thrill coursing through her too but mostly shock as she lay there with him atop her. She felt his lips curve into a slight smile against her skin but he never moved his lips.

"I didn't just ask you to come to talk to you, I can't seem to leave you alone my lady," he informed her, she blinked then looked over her shoulder at him. There was a sort of snaggletooth smile on his face as she watched those fangs of his elongate and his eyes flicker red. There was a twinge of fear in her at the sight but she was certain that if she remained calm nothing too bad would happen to her.

"This is very improper!" she snapped in irritation though she felt like a slight traitor as her body heated with this thrill. What the hell was wrong with her! He was an inuyōkai, she was a human! He didn't even like humans, he had said as much often enough for her to hear the truth in those words. Still she didn't want to move and she didn't want him to leave her, she liked the feel of him against her. She didn't want him to move, just yet.

"Then how about I make you my mate and make it human proper?" he growled in her ear, her body tensed in an anticipation she didn't understand as she watched the inuyōkai carefully. She watched his eyes bleed fully red and his gold irises change to turquoise.

"Why?" she wondered aloud, why would he want her? Weren't the women of his kind breathtakingly beautiful like him? Why would he want her? She was nothing, nothing at all in comparison to someone like him or Rin or even his son who he spoke so highly of.

"Because, you belong to me," he growled before he flipped her over and kissed her. Izayoi managed to gasp but it was her gasp which had had him deepening the kiss within moments and her arms slid around his shoulders but her hips were still pinned uncomfortably beneath his. Still the kiss wasn't all that bad as she lay beneath him.

At least it wasn't bad until he pulled her up again, she hissed in discomfort as he jerked her body up. He slowed his harsh and quick movements then as he grabbed the end of her kimono and lifted it up to her knees so she could straddle his lap. This was all so sudden and so improper she was blushing to the point she was certain even tomatoes paled in comparison to her. Yes, she had never been so hot or embarrassed or shy in her entire life as she was in this moment as she sat on InuTaisho's lap staring into those red eyes and that feral grin. Just what was he planning? And why did she feel this achy pulse between her legs?

"All mine," he growled again before he kissed her aggressively. She just let him lead the kiss as she responded shyly. It seemed to please him, her reactions as he kissed her. Izayoi shyly mimicked his aggressive actions, and though she wasn't certain what exactly she was doing she did liked the feeling it was giving her in the pit of her stomach. There was a pleasant feeling in her as she slipped a hand behind his head and her other hand gripped his upper arm. She felt like she had to hang onto him as he pushed her farther and farther back but wouldn't let her fall back. His hands held her hips firmly so she couldn't really move, and his claws were digging into the silk she was wearing; she was very aware of the pressure there.

Finally he pulled away from her as his lips slid over her jaw, she gasped for air then as she clung to him then. His tongue made her shiver with pleasure as it slid over her skin. Great Kami did this feel divine as she moaned. He growled and she didn't know what to expect when suddenly he shoved her into the grass.

"I want you," he grumbled as he came on top of her. She just blinked at the harshness of his voice, he always had a deep gruff sort of voice but now it was harsh as if he were in pain. Izayoi just stared at the man before her as he kissed her collar bone. He wanted her? It thrilled her, it also terrified her because no one had ever wanted her, Takemaru didn't even want her. He wanted her inheritance and she was a pleasant bonus for him.

"I want you too," she whispered her dark secret then. He lifted his silver head with a devious smile and gold eyes then.

"Then I won't have to tear these," he murmured as he came over her again and began tugging at her silk garments. She tried to stop his fingers but he caught them and brought them to his lips. "It'll be fine," he murmured.

"But" she started.

"Trust me Izayoi," he whispered with a plea. She relaxed then as he kissed her again. It was a gentle kiss, one to sooth her rather than excite her but it had her relaxing and bringing her hands up to cup his face. There was no tearing but her kimono fell open and he slowly peeled away the layers then. Her breath hitched when his hand cupped her breast, he released a sound similar to a purr. She just looked at what his hands were doing and nearly fainted then there was a mind numbing pleasure that coursed through her when she watched his thumb slid over her nipple. He smiled, she just gasped as her head fell back again. What was he doing to her? She wondered as he sat over her and his other hand cupped her other breast.

"So soft, and beautiful, and mine," he growled as he kneaded them, she just bit her lip to fight back the moan she felt building up in her. He came down then and his mouth was on hers' then. His tongue slid into her mouth and her moan escaped into him. She felt him rumble; as if he were growling but she didn't understand why he was growling then as she just let her head fall back as she closed her eyes.

It was intense, and his wandering mouth wasn't helping. It was as if every place his lips touch ignited a fire within her as he left a trail of kisses down her jaw. Then his tongue slid down her neck, her head fell to the side as she sighed in pleasure. The man was truly a demon as he tormented that spot on her collar bone again. She just hissed in delight when his tongue swirled over the sensitive spot while he sucked on her skin. His hands never stopped massaging her breasts as she lay beneath him.

Finally his mouth left that spot, she whimpered a bit in protest as his lips left the spot he had been devoting so much of his attention to. But she sighed in a silent pleasure as his lips continued to travel over her skin and leave a glorious trail of flames. How was he so good at this? She wondered briefly. On second thought she didn't want to know how he was so good at this.

Her mind went blank when his mouth latched onto one of her overly plump breasts and she nearly screamed but she bit her knuckle then. His mouth was so hot! And wet! And it felt unbelievably amazing as his tongue tormented her nipple. Her free hand tangled itself in his hair as she pulled him closer to her and tried to hold onto her sanity. This felt amazing! She finally couldn't hold back her sounds as a low moan ripped through her mouth as her head fell back. Oh Kami help her! This felt too good to be true.

His teeth grazed over her breast before he pulled away and gave her other overly plump breast the same attention. She just let out the scream she had been holding back and his name was on her tongue as she screamed. It felt so good, and she couldn't seem to stop herself from writhing beneath him. Her fingers yanked on his silver hair as she tried to grasp to some semblance of dignity but dignity be damned, this felt amazing to her. She just moaned then as his tongue resumed it's devious antics. But she nearly died of shock when he slid a hand between her legs.

She stiffened as she felt his claws slide over her slit. He just growled, she just lay as still as possible while he explored her slit. Her fingers tightened in his hair as she nervously felt him exploring her. Then he opened his eyes to look at her, there was a devilish grin on his lips again.

"InuTaisho…" she trailed off as her mind went blank. What the hell!? She bit her bottom lip again as he repeated whatever he had done. What was he doing to her? It felt so damn good as her arched into his palm, she didn't know what his thumb was tracing but she hoped he didn't stop. It felt divine to her. He growled, she moaned, he returned his attention to her breasts as his thumb continued to toy with her. His tongue was driving her insane but his fingers…his fingers just might send her to nirvana. Just what was he doing? She wondered numbly as she gripped onto him and writhed beneath him.

Then she stiffened again when she felt something pressing into her, it was sharp, and it was slightly thick and calloused. She looked at the night sky again as she just moaned again. His finger, that's what was in her, she concluded. He groaned, she just bit her lip again as she let her head fall to the side again.

How come he was still clothed? Izayoi wondered briefly before he pulled away from her completely. He roughly yanked her out of her robes and flipped her bare body over onto her stomach.

"I can't wait," he murmured in her ear.

Wait for what? Her mind wondered when he left her again. She shivered a bit as the night's breeze danced over her bare skin. She yelped in shock when he came atop her again, she could feel his skin then. There was a pressure pressing in on her then, it was a sort of stinging pain at the core of her heat. He body had hers' pinned and his arms had her caged so she couldn't escape. Izayoi felt her pleasure evaporate as it occurred to her what was to happen. He'd be in her, he'd pour his seed into her and ruin her! The thought was slightly thrilling but most definitely terrifying as she tensed against him. He hissed, she bit her lip as she felt him pressing into her.

It felt so uncomfortable and foreign as he pressed further and further into her. She wondered why he was going so slow, it was killing her. Finally she couldn't hold back her cries or her tears, she screamed and sobbed in a horrid pain. He just growled, she really screamed in pain when she felt something rip within her and then he was still. She sobbed in her pain, she gripped the silk of her kimono as she cried, he didn't move.

Finally he leaned over her and gently kissed her temple, she just turned her head away from him.

"Sorry love, it only hurts once, and I'll make it good again," he murmured softly as he kissed the top of her head. She just bit her lips as she fought back her tears. It hurt, it really, really, really hurt having him in her. He didn't stop his soft and sweet kisses, but it didn't help with her tears as she lay there with a dull throbbing between her legs and a sense of being stretched. Was it supposed to feel like this? She wondered as she lay beneath him with him in her.

"Now what?" she whispered. She wanted this ache gone, she wanted him out of her, she wanted him to stop but at the same time she didn't want him to stop. Even Rin had said the first time would hurt, and according to all the maids it was painful but why did it hurt so much!? No one had ever said it would feel like she was being ripped apart or torn into tiny pieces or when the ripping was over she'd just feel uncomfortably stretched.

"Relax Izayoi, I'll make I better," he promised. She peeked up at him, his eyes were red and gold at the same time, there was a gentle but devious smile on his lips and there was a way about him that felt slightly reassuring to her. She nodded slightly then.

"Izayoi," he grunted as she felt him withdraw, she just bit her knuckle then. He surged forward again in a gentle sort of way that slightly hurt but not terribly so. That's when he started them in a slow and steady rhythm, his hand slid under her and then she groaned. Whatever his fingers were doing to her as they had been before she didn't want him to stop as he moved in and out of her. Eventually she found herself lifting her rear against him to meet his strokes as they became deeper, stronger, more demanding and what she craved. This felt perfect to her as she moaned. His hand entwined with hers' as he continued his rhythm.

Something was consuming her, something was drowning her as her hips quickened with his. Finally she felt herself tighten and a scream escape her lips. His teeth sank into her skin on her shoulder, she just continued screaming from the pleasure consuming her and when his tongue slid over the wound he had just inflicted on her. Finally she collapsed beneath him, he pumped his hips into her a few more times and then he fell atop her. He felt…swollen in her as they lay there. She just closed her eyes against the world.

He was perfect.

"I love you," she murmured softly as she drifted off into oblivion.

* * *

InuTaisho just stared at the human woman he had knotted deep in and smiled smugly. His mate loved him, but come the morning when she saw his purple seal she'd probably hate him. But for now she loved him and that was a wonderful thing in his mind as he rolled them onto their sides and pulled his mokomoko around her. She was his, and he liked knowing this.

He was pretty certain he loved this human as he held her close to him.

Either way come the morning she would be irrevocably his.

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**Hey there! I have fantastic news! I have a new computer so hopefully I will not have to deal with my writing getting devoured anymore! Fingers cross guys this is hopeful because I've written a few things and none were devoured!**

**Anyways I felt like writing this after the other lemon I wrote for this story so I hope you'll enjoy!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Never Be the Same will return with Mysteries of You July 24, 2015!**

**Until then...Enjoy! =)**


	60. PART III: MYSTERIES OF YOU

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Part III**

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**Mysteries of You…**

There are mysteries in life, mysteries which are lost in history.

I have often wondered about the yōkai history since it has long since been lost to the likes of mankind. Only the great Daiyōkai Clans remember their history but it is hidden from the likes of the world to preserve our secret. I suppose my mother is to thank for my knowledge in the knowledge I crave, she witnessed most history and what she wasn't there to instigate she was taught by her lord who was there to ignite it. Together they are a truly mysterious pair, a pair whom many yōkai, daiyōkai, and hanyō alike fear, who many humans respect.

However the greatest mysteries lay in them and what they hid from the world, the knowledge locked away within them forever and the orchestrators of their own fates. I crave to know what they know, to know what they did, to know what they witnessed and fought against.

But many of their mysteries I don't think will be solved, I don't think anyone but them will truly understand what they've done to history nor do I think they care about it. All they sacrificed to get here. The battle with Naraku is what everyone remembers, and the Great War is what our father is known for but what they aren't known for is what they are most famous for I think. But everything they did was somewhat inevitable with mother's fierce, fearless temper and father's arrogant, indifferent demeanor.

Honestly I'm surprised that they didn't cause more damage to this world with their personalities.

I suppose that another one of their mysteries, one which I can admire them for because if they revealed everything they did in life. The several lives they've seemed to have lived and the many battles they have fought; I do not believe it's for all of us to know what they've done. I'm very proud of them but I'm also very curious about my mother and father.

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**I'll Be Back July 24, 2015! =)**


	61. Mysteries of You: Chapter 1

**Mysteries of You...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Paradox:**_ Person of Opposites; a person with seemingly self-contradictory qualities…_

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**Chapter 1**

Did she really want to get out of this well? Rin wondered as she hugged the clay wall on the bottom. She didn't think so! Nope, she did not want to get out of this well, and honestly this well was creepier than hell so that was saying something to her. To be truthful…this well was almost as creepy as the insides of Naraku, almost. Still, she had to get out of the well, no matter what awaited her. Whether it'd be teeth, venom, poison, claws, gnashing jaws or one very, very, very angry Sesshomaru she had to get her sorry ass out of this well!

Steeling her resolve she secured Bakusaiga to her back so it didn't bang around on her hip and began climbing out of the Bone Eater's Well. Why was it so cold!? She wondered as she pulled herself closer to the surface. Looking up she noted that the ancient box walls of the well were missing, probably ripped out of the ground by a pissed Sesshomaru. She decided this glumly as she got closer to the surface. Then she poked her head out of…a circular hole to snow? Rin's teeth chattered as the wind ripped through her and she ducked back into the well.

Was this some sick kind of joke!?

_First, to save him, you must steal a King's Icy Claws from the mountain he guards._

The first of three tasks Midoriko had given her to save Sesshomaru but surely this was some kind of joke? Just where the hell was she!? A shadow leapt over the well then, Rin looked up as she came to the top again.

"Quick, do not let that pup escape," a thunderous voice shook the ground. Rin froze as she turned slowly to face the owner of the raspy, snarling, thunderous voice. "Do not lose that pup!"

That was the biggest fucking cat she had ever seen and if she didn't move she was going to be squashed. Rin scrambled out of the hole just as a foot slammed onto where she had been. Rolling to her cold feet she raced through the snow.

"Human," the voice snarled in disgust. She yelped when a giant hand grabbed her around the waist, struggle was futile as she watched the ground shrink and the sky get closer. Soon she was eye to eye with a set of hideous amber eyes and a face only a mother could love!

"Right, sorry, wrong time!" Rin's free hand reached over her shoulder to grab Bakusaiga, the fang slid from it's sheath. Without hesitation she poked that hideous eye, there was a deafening roar as the panther released her. She landed with a huff in the snow, she ran then. There was a glint of silver which caught her eye as she ran through the forest then, a branch slapped her cheek, she stumbled down a hill. Her back smashed into a rock knocking the wind from her lungs as her fingers let go of Bakusaiga to continue rolling down the hill. She and the fang slammed onto the ice just as a silver figure slid onto the ice and spun around snarling. A blue woman appeared then.

"Quit being so difficult you little brat!" a red headed woman snarled as she landed on a tree.

"Come now Sesshomaru, surely you know we mean you no harm," the blue woman taunted. Rin blinked as she raised her head, _that_ was Sesshomaru!?

He was small, about eight in human years she'd guess. His silver hair was pulled up like his father's his eyes were a brilliant and furious shade of amber, his claws were bared and his childish face was contorted in a snarl. Rin's eyes zeroed in on the red dripping down his left arm then, he was bleeding.

"Leave him alone," Rin shouted as she shoved herself up from the ice then snatched up Bakusaiga. The women's eyes narrowed as they noticed her, she let out a ragged breath and glared at the women. The pup merely gave her a cold glare then turned his attention onto the women again, she wasn't a threat to him and she had a feeling he knew that.

"Look Tōran, a human who's come out to play with the yōkai, whatever should we do to her?" the redhead purred. Rin frowned.

"Kill her of course, after all a human is nothing to us," Tōran, the blue one purred.

"Good idea," the redhead agreed, Rin smirked then.

"Wrong idea," she snarled. She slid across the ice as she brought up Bakusaiga, the blue one leapt into the air with a shock look in her eyes, the red one merely lunged for her. Rin was swift as she slammed her knee into the second woman's gut, the brought her elbow smashing down onto the woman's back sending the redhead sprawling on the ice. She then turned to slash her sword at the second woman who caught the blade with one of her own. Rin just smiled, Sesshomaru remained where he was.

"I told you to leave my lord alone, now you have to deal with me," Rin snarled as she shove her weight forward on the ice. The blue woman slid back shocked by Rin's attack, Rin didn't slow as she rushed forward. Tōran deflected her blade but Rin slid around behind the woman to kick her knees out from under her then slam Bakusaiga into the woman's black tail as she pulled that blue hair and punched the woman's cheek. The female yōkai had been to startled by the attack to counter it as she skittered across the ice.

"Run!" Rin grabbed Sesshomaru's right hand with her left and held Bakusaiga with her right as they race up the snow bank and into the woods. Clearly her lord was still stunned as she scooped up the child and ran through the trees looking for shelter as snow fell harder from the sky.

Just where the hell was she!?

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**I'm Back! Did Ya Miss Me!? Probably not, you probably missed the updates...Ah well...  
**

**By the way, sorry about the lack of updates yesterday but yesterday was sort of shot to hell so...**

**Anyways Part III: Mysteries of You is here! Never Be the Same will resume it's frequent updates!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	62. Mysteries of You: Chapter 2

**Mysteries of You...  
**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Paradox:**_ Person of Opposites; a person with seemingly self-contradictory qualities…_

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**Chapter 2**

Finally Rin found a refuge for her and a young, unusually small, Sesshomaru. Honestly she never thought her lord had been a pup but that could be because she had been a child when he had become her savior. Lifting up a clearly exhausted Sesshomaru she made her way into the cave. Her feet were bleeding painfully and her body was shaking from the cold but she hadn't come prepared for winter. When she had left whatever time she had been in she had been in late summer near autumn but it was _**NOT**_ winter! No way in hell had it been anywhere near winter, of this she was certain.

"Who are you?" the little version of Sesshomaru demanded once they were in the shelter of a cave.

"I am a humble servant of my lord, I am called Rin," she replied. It felt always reintroducing herself to her lord but since it was apparent that he didn't know her each time she met him again she would continue to introduce herself. Rin sunk to the ground then tucked her feet under her kimono to warm them up before she assessed their damage.

"Rin? Who do you serve, Rin?" he said her name like he was tasting it and it was not something he was certain he liked.

"I serve the Inu no Taisho," she replied as she sat there. The pup lifted his brow then, she smiled at his confusion.

"My father does not permit humans to serve him, he hates them all."

"But I never said I served your father, the Inu no Taisho I serve happens to be my lord, my master, and my protector. He sealed our bond when I was but a child," Rin said with a smile. Her lord looked confused but he didn't question her as he sat there quietly and brooded. It was odd seeing him as a child, his hair was still sleek and silver, his markings were all the same but his features. His face was rather childish and expressive, it was odd to her because her lord so rarely expressed emotion unless he was taunting his prey.

"Want to tell me what you were doing out in this storm?" she asked calmly. The boy's amber gaze flicked towards her then back to the cave floor. Clearly he didn't want to talk to her, but Rin didn't care as she yawned. Her body was achy, shaking and her feet were split from the cold. Everything in her hurt like no tomorrow as she sat there. She didn't move as her head fell back, her eyes fluttered shut then she sighed before she let sleep consume her. She'd worry about everything to come and everything that was going on tomorrow when she was awake and aware of everything that was going on. Until then though she would sleep and catch her breath because until she was sharp and alert again she'd be useless.

* * *

Sesshomaru huffed out a breath in irritation as he stomped over to the shivering human and reluctantly wrapped her up; as best as he could; with his mokomoko. Mostly because something within him demanded he care for this woman and stay near her. He had to stay close to her, he had felt that when he had seen her on the ice. Though he didn't understand half of his reactions to her he felt the desire and demands of his beast to look after the girl. But he remembered the human's reaction to those annoying cats.

She had been fast, almost as if she were trained by an inuyōkai who had been of immense skill and power. This girl, Rin, she had been unusual even by his abnormal standards and he would love to say that he didn't understand her but in truth he knew nothing about humans. Humans were just as foreign to him as if they came from another land. To him they were odd, and selfish creatures. But this human, for some reason that he couldn't even explain he was very attached to this human for some reason and it disgusted him.

"You're odd," he whispered to the human who sighed as she slept. He smiled a bit though. "But I like you," he said honestly as he crawled onto her lap to guard her. The girl's arms wrapped securely around him and he blinked because this was the first time ever that someone had hugged him. His mother would never do something like this and his father just didn't care about him. This was odd but he didn't mind being held as he hugged her arms to him. For the first time ever, in his life, he felt loved and he felt loved by a human of all creatures. This was odd but not completely uncomfortable.

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"Then where is he!?" the Inu no Taisho roared with enough force to have his followers trembling in his wake. His heir was missing and those fucking cats were invading his territory. And no one, not a single inuyōkai here seemed to be able to find his pup. How the fuck was that possible!? He didn't think those fucking cats would have taken his heir but knowing that Panther King it was a possibility that was quiet possibly an unwanted reality at this moment. Where the fuck was Sesshomaru!?

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"When I find that brat and human I'm skinning them both alive!" Tōran snarled as she rubbed her aching head. Karan just grumbled a bit as they stomped through the storm. This was all because of that brat Sesshomaru and when she got her claws on him he was dead. That human bitch though…that bitch she wanted alive and she wanted to rip from limb to limb; Sesshomaru would watch as she killed the human. Yes, that plan was most satisfying to her as she shoved her way through the storm. This fucking sucked and it was all because of that annoying inuyōkai brat. Sesshomaru would suffer.

But that human bitch would be tortured to death by her claws.

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**Sorry about the past few days but I've been somewhat busy, however this will resume being a daily piece along with Healing Pain. I have a bit more time on my hands now so I intend to use my free time for writing.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	63. Mysteries of You: Chapter 3

**Mysteries of You...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Paradox:**_ Person of Opposites; a person with seemingly self-contradictory qualities…_

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**Chapter 3**

Rin woke the next morning feeling…hot and not in a good way. It felt as if there were a giant heater laying on her stomach and it was not comfortable, it was too hot. Cracking her eyes open she found herself partially wrapped around her. She sighed as she looked down to her breasts which were being used as a pillow by her lord again. How was it she always ended up like this? Even though when he was older they were lovers it was odd still. Rin would admit that this was still odd to her.

Never in her lisfe had she really thought that he was her lord actually being a kid before and now…here he was. He was a small pup and he was a child and he was in dire need of protection which was enough to make her worry about what she was doing here. Handling an adult Sesshomaru was hard enough but to try to handle a child Sesshomaru was just impossible. Rin didn't know the first thing about children, and she would admit that. Helping Sango and Kagome in her time hadn't even prepared her to deal with kids, because mostly Rin had been an extra set of hands around the house as needed and not much more. For the most part once babies had started coming Rin hadn't mattered much to the women anymore.

Not that she had been neglected, her lord would never permit that but she hadn't exactly had been a priority for her primary caretakers and she had already been self-efficient when they had taken her in. still, she had no idea what to do with a child, and now she was dealing with her lord when he was a pup. Rin just sighed because if dealing with an adult Sesshomaru was challenging she was unprepared to deal with a child Sesshomaru. This could be a very, very, very long trip if you asked her. Though it didn't help that she had no idea how she'd be accomplishing the second task when she didn't even think the first was possible. Slowly Rin's fingers uncurlded from Bakusaiga and she stared at what she had stolen from her lord then looked at the child sleeping on her chest. Well how the hell was this supposed to work!?

Her head fell back and she felt like pounding her head against the rock that she was sleeping on because Kami knew she didn't know how she was going to be accomplishing this. It wasn't like she knew how a child Sesshomaru would react.

The Sesshomaru from her time would probably look at her like she had grown a third head then he would rip her to shreds before walking off to leave her dead. The Sesshomaru from Izayoi's time would probably laugh at her then skewer her through her heart before stalking off to destroy and army. So how would a child Sesshomaru react to her mission? Not well. But it didn't matter because she knew what she needed to do before she went leaping back down that hole to head for the next time she was needed in which she didn't know what that would be.

Still Rin didn't really know what she was supposed to be doing and she had no guidance making her situation all that much worse if you asked her. Still she had to do this because she knew he was all she had in her life and all she loved and if she didn't do this then he would die. And she couldn't lose him.

She had no one if she lost him.

Rin's arms hugged the pup to her then as she stared at the cave ceiling as she fought back her uncertainty and fears about everything that was going on at this moment. Sesshomaru was everything to her, he had been for so long that she honestly couldn't think of a life without him and the fear of him dying was so real that it was killing her. Even now she was terrified of losing him. And he didn't even know who she was as she held him against her. She knew he didn't know her as she held him tightly to her. Kami did she love him.

"Too, tight," the pup squeaked out.

"You're awake!" she gasped as she sat up without letting him go, the pup gasped a bit.

"Can't breathe," the pup sighed. She smiled as she released him. He sat there then staring at her. His head tilted to the side a bit as he gave her a thoughtful look which made her heart warm with joy. It was still odd to see and expression on his face when he rarely; alright never; expressed emotion but his amber eyes were filled with a curousity.

"Are you alright? Did those cats hurt you? Why were you out in this weather? Where's your mother? Where's your father? And why the hell are you out here!? Don't you know it's dangerous? Sesshomaru you have to know better, certainly there are members of your pack worried about you!" Rin laid in on him then as she scolded him mercilessly, she watched his white head droop with each word she said and knew it was getting through to him how much he had worried her.

* * *

Sesshomaru resisted rolling his eyes at the human because she was being annoying. Never in his life had anyone ever scolded him and never had anyone ever seemed to openly care about him like this human. And for some reason it felt vital to him that he have her love and care. Finally the girl, Rin, stopped for a breath, and he peeked up at her. She then grabbed him and hugged her to him.

"Kami Sesshomaru you scare me," Rin murmured as she held him.

"How do you know my name?" he finally asked, the girl leaned back from him then with a smile on her lips.

"That's actually difficult to explain and complicated. All you need to know is that you and I are best friends in a different life," Rin said calmly. He just stared at the girl then, if that had been said by anyone else he had no doubt that it would've sounded insane but for some reason, Rin saying it. It sounded like the truth.

"Why did you save me?" Sesshomaru asked, no one had ever saved him in his entire life.

"Because you will always save me," Rin replied softly and hugged him again. He hugged her back because it felt natural and right to be hugged by her.

* * *

**Slightly creepy chapter but I like it. Anyways, wow I actually had time to update this today after 36 Weeks &amp; Counting. I'll be back tomorrow with more updates and something for Why Should I Worry!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	64. Mysteries of You: Chapter 4

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Paradox:**_ Person of Opposites; a person with seemingly self-contradictory qualities…_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

InuTaisho was pissed, he was furious, he was enraged, and despite what he would say he was terrified. He was scared shitless for his son who it appeared to have run away. Again. How was it that that was what seemed to happen to his son a lot? Sesshomaru seemed to be running away a lot lately, and it was beginning to irritate the hell out of him. There was something wrong with that pup, something was missing in the pup's mind because there was no way that this could possibly be normal! The rate of Sesshomaru missing and the other pups was so drastically different that it was driving InuTaisho to insanity because it appeared that no one could keep track of his heir and a single pup who had no notable training. But Sesshomaru still managed to slip his guards.

And now there was this war going on and a panther who would do anything to get his hands on leverage against him and Sesshomaru was missing, again, now of all times! When InuTaisho tracked down his son he would flay the pup's hide but until then he'd just focus on getting his son back at this moment in time because there was no fucking way he would let them fucking cats have leverage on him. But it didn't help that his son was good a disappearing and not leaving a trace of where he had gone. It also really did not help that no one appeared to know his pup well enough to know where he would go if he wanted to hide from them.

It was as if no one knew anything about his son!

It was as if he didn't even have a son and no one was helping at this moment. Why couldn't Sesshomaru be like any other normal alpha pup and be a leader? All of his friends had sons they could be proud of, alphas who would serve their pack to the fullest of their abilities. And then he had Sesshomaru, which was rather like having a cat and about as pleasant as having a cat.

Though the cat would be more pleasant.

And no he was not saying how bad of a son Sesshomaru was he was just saying how unpleasant of a pup Sesshomaru was. It was as if he were born with a mind of his own and didn't understand the concept of responsibility. Meanwhile it would be up to InuTaisho to try and track down his wayward pup. This behavior was definitely from InuKimi's side of the family because it sure as hell wasn't from his side of the family! There was no fucking way any of his ancestors had been that irresponsible or selfish or arrogant or even self-centered! Of this he was certain because he was positive that if any of them had been this way their father would've whooped their ass!

* * *

Sesshomaru swore he'd be back and Rin didn't worry about him because he was an inuyōkai of his word, he would return. He always returned; even when she had been a mere child he had always returned to her. Though why he always returned to her she didn't really understand but she could always rely on him even when Kaede, Kagome, and Kohaku had all said otherwise she could rely on him. Her lord would never, ever fail her, and she would be a fool to think he wouldn't come back for her when all he did was save her and come for her. He had proven to her time after time that he would come to her aid whenever she needed it.

It was a part of the reason she loved him so easily.

Sesshomaru was dependable and though it seemed like a small thing to anyone else it was a large factor of the reason she stayed with him even when he had snapped and snarled at her. There had been a few times in her childhood when she pushed the right button and had him snarling and snapping at her like a rabid dog. And she understood that side of him best now, it was usually provoked because he had lost someone, who she didn't know but someone who was very dear to him. Rin sighed again as she wrapped her arms around her chest and curled her toes beneath her material as she waited. Her lord, even if he was only a pup, would return for her. She was something special to him even if she wasn't certain what exactly she was to him. All she knew for certain was that her lord cared deeply about her, he had protected her as a child, he had guarded her as girl, he had served her as a woman and now he was seeking her protection.

Rin mattered to him, and she knew it and that was all that mattered at the end of her day.

* * *

Was he thrilled about sneaking around a human village seeking what he needed for his human? No. But would he do it…? Yes. For Rin, anyone else wants him to walk into a human village they could go fuck themselves; whatever that meant. He didn't care to do things for others, it annoyed him and it irritated his beast. He wasn't supposed to do that, his beast would snap at him. And he full heartedly agreed. He wasn't supposed to be kind for others; ever. He was Sesshomaru, he would be the greatest Inu no Taisho ever and he would destroy his father.

So if anyone saw him stealing furs and boots for a human they'd have laughed their asses off, he was tempted to ridicule himself until he remembered how cold Rin had felt this morning. She was too cold, his beast and he did not like that at all. So now that he had what he needed for Rin he was trying to sneak out of the village without being caught.

"Inuyōkai! Sound the alarm!" someone roared.

Too late! Sesshomar leapt into his true form and snatched up what he had stolen as arrows lodged themselves into his flesh. He never looked back though as he streaked through the forest. Rin! Help! He pleaded desperately hearing the humans behind him.

* * *

**Hey again, last update of the night.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	65. Mysteries of You: Chapter 5

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Paradox:**_ Person of Opposites; a person with seemingly self-contradictory qualities…_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Kagome decided that she couldn't ignore this any longer, it had been a week since Rin had gone missing down that well and Sesshomaru hadn't left the well at all. This wasn't healthy for her brother-in-law, of this she was certain as she waddled over to him. Having this bulk was beginning to irritate her, she couldn't wait for these pups to be out of her. And she was thinking she was having two pups, the mere thought of her babies always turned her to butter but she steeled her resolve as she came near Sesshomaru. Carefully she sat beside him near the well in silence. There wasn't much either of them could say, and honestly she had never really talked to Sesshomaru, he wasn't much of a talker. How Rin communicated with the Inu no Taisho she didn't know, but she had a feeling that it had to do with patience.

"Rin never said how you met," Kagome said suddenly and heard the truth in her words. It hurt her to say that but it was true, and now that she thought about it she didn't know anything about Rin's past. Rin was just Rin, she was nice, she was reliable, and she was loyal to her lord.

"I resurrected her with Tenseiga," he said coldly as he sat there staring at the well. Kagome frowned, perhaps this would take a bit more prying than she thought.

"How'd she die?"

"She was killed by wolves," he replied. Alright, that explained a bit of why Rin wasn't fond of Koga, or rather why she mysteriously disappeared when Koga would show up.

"Huh, that actually explains quite a bit about Rin," Kagome said thoughtfully. Sesshomaru lifted a brow at her. "Well she sort of disappears when Koga shows up with his wolves, I've never thought to ask her why but it just makes sense now."

"Hn," he replied, she glared at him.

"I don't know how Rin tolerates you, you are insufferable and antisocial!" Kagome growled out as she glared at him. He didn't even respond to her outburst as he stared at the well. Seriously one would think that he would want to talk about Rin, she had loved him unconditionally for years so wouldn't he at least care about her? Wouldn't he want to share stories of Rin? According to Miroku and Sango Inuyasha had had loads of stories to share with them about her while she had been gone. But Sesshomaru was just sitting here in silence.

"She always has," Sesshomaru said softly. "The first time I met her I was a pup, the first time she met me she was a pup."

Kagome waited for more but there was no more. She was seriously beginning to think that Sesshomaru was heartless; but his statement made no sense if you asked her. It wasn't possible that Rin had met him when he had been a pup, she hadn't even been born or thought of. Still Kagome left the statement alone as she slowly stood up, Sesshomaru leapt up and she felt the water gush from between her legs. She stood there dumbfounded when Sesshomaru grabbed her quickly and leapt towards her hut.

* * *

Inuyasha had been restrained outside of the hut by his own brother who was standing before the doorway with his claws bared. It was infuriating as Inuyasha sat there in his irritation. He was anxious, and he wsas terrified and he was horrified hearing his mate's screams and being kept away from her. She was in pain! He should be with her! He had to be with her but any time he made a move to get into the hut Sesshomaru would react with his light whip and have him slammed into the ground within moments. Now Inuyasha was sitting with Miroku, Shippo and Kohaku twitching with his fears as he listened to Kagome scream and the women sooth her. Sesshomaru said nothing, he merely stood there where Kaede had ordered him to be, he remembered that. The old hag had purposely demanded his brother keep him out her while Kagome and his pups were in there in pain!

And it was driving him nuts!

He wanted to be with his mate, not these idiots! But it was impossible to get around his brother. So here he was a twitching, nervous wreck as he awaited permission to enter his hut to sooth his mate. His internal beast was going nuts, and for once he agreed with his beast! He had to be with Kagome, she was screaming for him! And all the pain and blood he was scenting was making him anxious, he wanted to be with her.

Finally there was a scream that wasn't Kagome's, before he knew what he was doing he lunged for the hut and for his mate; and not even Sesshomaru could stop him. He burst into the hut just as the second pup was born. Kagome was pale, panting, but alive and healthy from her scent and he hurried over to her. Sango couldn't stop him from holding his mate and wife then as he looked over her shoulder at the pups; one looked a lot like Sesshomaru surprisingly.

"They're perfect Kagome," Inuyasha murmured against her hair softly as he kissed her temple.

"Yes they are," she agreed softly as Kaede handed him and Kagome their pups. He looked down at the one who looked suspiciously like Sesshomaru and frowned a bit, then looked over at the other. The other looked like him but with Kagome's blue eyes.

"Haruto for our son and Hoshi for our daughter," Kagome decided with a smile. He nodded in agreement, he liked those names and the eyes made the names suiting. His amber eyed son and his blue eyed daughter, he kissed Kagome temple again as peace settled over him and his internal beast.

* * *

Sesshomaru returned to the well. It was inevitable, he remembered being around this spot a lot. And now he would be fighting a war for a small pack that had gotten a little larger, those pups would need someone fighting for them and it wasn't like their father could take on all the humans in the world alone. Besides, he'd fight for a world where Rin could come back to him. And she would, he was still waiting for her.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	66. Mysteries of You: Chapter 6

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Immortal:**_Living Forever; never dying or decaying…_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Something was wrong, Rin grabbed Bakusaiga as she ran out into the snow and ignored the stabbing pain in her feet as she moved quickly. Something was so wrong that she was unsettled as she ran through the snow trying not to topple over and fall down the hill. It wasn't easy but Rin thought she was doing a good job of not sliding down this mountain, at least until she heard a startled yelp. Then her mind screamed 'fuck it' as she ran down the mountain side as quickly as she could shoving her way through the snow and pulled Bakusaiga. Her worst fear was a reality when she rounded the corner on one boulder to see a band of villagers screaming with their tools in hand as they waved torches and swung their tools at a white dog about the size of a horse.

The poor pup was trying to shrink into a ball and disappear, Rin would not stand for any of that as she shoved her way through the throng of people and shielded her lord from them. The pup was quick to press himself against her as she held Bakusaiga between herself and Sesshomaru.

"Out of the way girl, that thing's a yōkai and needs killing and this is now place for a girl!" a man roared, she sliced the torch he was swinging at her in half. The flame went out with a hiss as she held her blade then against his throat.

"No one touched the pup," Rin growled. The men stared at her, she pressed the fang against the man's throat a little harder but not enough to draw blood because she was in a venomous mood and would likely poison the poor bastard with this fang before he drew his next breath. The hoard of people backed off then as they saw their leader was incapacitated, it was easy to subdue human packs if you asked her. Whereas wolf and dog packs would attack the moment their alpha; leader; was threatened, humans weren't that loyal to their alphas or leaders because it simply wasn't in their nature. Which disgusted her and at this moment was her saving grace. Humans were so disgustingly predictable that it sickened her to her stomach as she stared into that man's black eyes.

"That thing is a threat to our entire village!" the leader spat out.

"I'd be more worried about your lack of followers and my fang at your throat than I would be about an inuyōkai pup," Rin growled out lowly. It was then that the man seemed to notice all of his followers were gone. The wise humans who knew when to call it quits before they were slaughtered. This man was obviously not a wise man.

"Mark my words young woman, that thing will kill you without a second though," the man spit in her face then. She glared furiously at him in retaliation.

"Consider them marked, now leave before I run you through with my lord's fang, he'd be disgusted to have so much human blood on it. He truly hates the smell of it." Rin carefully nicked the man with the blade then, it would be a slow and painful death but she didn't care as the man ran down the mountain. Rin sighed as she sheathed the fang then looked down at Sesshomaru. His white fur was stained with red where arrows were sticking out in his hide, she wanted to cry for him then.

"You poor baby," Rin murmured as she knelt beside him and stroked his face gently, his jaws were clamped tightly on something and she didn't try to take it from him. Instead she stroked his ears as she had done so often when she had been younger then stood.

"Let's get back to the cave and I'll patch you up," Rin offered. The pup didn't react as he followed her. It was startling to her to see her lord so young and vulnerable and submissive. Her lord should never be meek and in this moment in time he was meek, it was startling to her as they walked up back to the cave. Sesshomaru was always this strong, vital creature who she had loved with all her heart but it was shocking to see him so…small and meek. She'd have to fix this because this wasn't who her lord was. The giant puppy transformed into a little boy, the arrows were lodged in his shoulder, back, thigh, and mokomoko.

It was breaking Rin's heart but she was as gentle as she could be as she pulled out the arrows, he winced, hissed, and snapped at her. But she never took it personally; he had been this surly when she had first met him injured in the woods. The only difference between then and now was that was for certain. It appeared that he handled pain pretty much the same as he did when he was adult; and now that she thought about how that sounded really, really weird in her mind.

"Better?" Rin asked once the arrows were removed from his small body.

"Hn," alright, that was a standard Sesshomaru response.

"Alright, now tell me what you were doing at that village," Rin said calmly as his skin began closing on it's own and his clothing began losing the bloodstains and mending.

"Yours," he picked up what he had been carrying then handed it to her. She stared at the winter clothing that her lord had stolen for her. Then she looked at him, he was shyly staring at the ground, she smiled a bit as she reached out and tilted the pup's chin up then.

"Thank you Sesshomaru, but next time, I'll do the thievery, I'm a far better thief than you," Rin said with a smile. He just stared dumbly at her.

"You were bleeding," he mumbled, she smiled broadly.

"I'm human, I bleed and I don't mind. I don't want you to be hurt, I can't afford to lose you," she said seriously. He just stared at her with large, serious, indifferent amber eyes, she hugged him close to her then. Kami did she love him.

"Too tight!" the pup huffed out, she laughed as she let him go.

"Sorry," she sighed.

"Don't let go," he said seriously, she laughed.

* * *

**Sorry about yesterday, I didn't feel well and did not feel like writing so I didn't. Anyways I'm making it up to you all now with updates today! Until the Day I Die, Why Should I Worry, this (DUH!), and Healing Pain; and maybe Because I Love You (maybe).  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	67. Mysteries of You: Chapter 7

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Immortal:**_Living Forever; never dying or decaying…_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Apparently Sesshomaru was a boy, through and through, and she found this out when she was attempting to change. The pup's eyes were glued to her as she tried to change, it wasn't helping any as she continuously turned him around. And worse there was no hiding spot in this open cave. Finally Rin gave up and just turned her back on the pup as she let her tattered clothes fall to the ground as she carefully dressed herself. It was challenging but she finally pulled on the winter clothes and furs. No doubt she looked like a yōkai or something dressed in all this get up but she didn't care as she sat down.

Her feet were a mess, it looked like they had bee shredded or had met a mountain path when she was little. Rin reached over to her discarded clothing she picked up the material, holding it between her teeth she ripped the silk her lord had given her; it was tough material but she succeeded as she ripped the material into strips. Then she tenderly examined her bloody feet then sighed. The damage was done, and she'd just have to focus on not getting an infection or having frostbite.

Sesshomaru was watching her silently. Rin just smiled at him and then began wrapping her feet when he walked over to her. She was focused on her task as she wrapped her feet, Sesshomaru then pulled her tangled black hair to the side to stare at the mark she concealed so carefully. Rin looked at the pup then as he stared at the mark. Opening her mouth she was about to speak to him when he traced the mark with his claws. His amber eyes just stared at the mark. Rin didn't say anything as she watched the childlike wonder in his golden eyes.

"This is mine," he said suddenly. She just stared at him.

"Yes," she agreed softly. He looked at her then, she smiled at him, there was a look in his eyes which made her take his hand in her own.

"Why?" he asked.

"I've had that for a very, very, very long time Sesshomaru and one day you'll understand why and how I got this but for now, don't worry about it," Rin said softly and firmly.

"It's a mating mark," the boy said. She smiled at him then pulled him into her lap as she hugged him then. The pup squeaked she laughed, as she hugged him tightly.

"Sesshomaru, don't worry about it, you'll understand what it means one day, but at this moment I means nothing more than you have my friendship and loyalty. Now if you don't mind I need you to stop poking me so I can finish getting ready so we can leave," she growled in his ear. He giggled as she began her tickle attack, the pup squirmed and tried to get away but she was determined as she tickle attacked him. He finally got away with a bright childlike smile that she had never seen on her lord's lips.

Finally she was free to wrap her feet up with the strips of silk, once her right foot was wrapped up she pulled on the black boot that her lord had stolen for her. The boots were definitely men's shoes for they were far too big for her. Not that she cared because for now they were the protection that Rin needed to get through this journey for however long she would be here. Sesshomaru latched onto her hand the moment she stood and stayed attached to her as they walked down the mountain. Rin just didn't know what her next move would be, and if she was to complete her first and second assignment then she'd need to formulate a plan.

And honestly Rin had no idea what she was doing at this moment, there wasn't a manual or something for her to follow. Sesshomaru had never talked about his past, and no one had ever told her that this was her fate; and fate didn't come with a map. Now though she was kind of wishing she had pestered Sesshomaru to know more about his past and that fate came with a map. It would make her task of saving her lord that much easier and it would make everything in her life easier. Rin simply didn't know what she was to be doing, or what she was to accomplish other than she was trying to save her lord from Magatsuhi's poison.

* * *

This human was most unusual. She was marked with his mark. Why, he didn't know. How, he didn't know. But he did know that Rin was marked as his. Sesshomaru looked up at the woman who was letting him hold her hand. No one had ever let him hold their hand but Rin didn't rebuff him and yank her hand out of his reach like his father or mother would. He liked it, he liked having Rin's hand to hold. It was different and strangely it was familiar. It was like this had always been, he didn't know why he felt as if this way.

"Rin?"

"Yes, my lord?" she looked down on him with a smile as she helped him down the mountain. He just blinked at the title, he wasn't a lord. But he didn't mind the title, it sounded like it was his. He didn't mind being addressed as a lord.

"Where are we going?" he asked. Rin lifted him to her hip, his eyes zeroed in on her fang. He wanted that fang but he wouldn't pester Rin for it when Rin was his…friend? Yes, she had said she was his friend but she was acting more like his guardian at this moment.

"We are going to find a safe place and then I'm going to figure out what I'm supposed to do while I'm here and figure out how to get you home safely and not die," Rin said with a smile. He just stared at her as they continued heading down the mountain and wondered what that meant. He didn't want Rin to leave him, she was his! He hugged her tightly then, she couldn't leave him!

* * *

**Sorry for the last few days, I've just been sleeping a lot lately and I haven't been awake much these last few days. I'll update something after my dinner thing and walk my dogs I'll update something else tonight.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	68. Mysteries of You: Chapter 8

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Immortal**: _Living Forever; never dying or decaying…_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"You," he breathed in his growl as he stared down at the failures who dared to call themselves his loyal subjects. To say he was infuriated was an understatement. "You let one, sniveling, helpless, defenseless inuyōkai pup slip through your claws and a human beat you."

"Master, she was a skilled fighter," the blue sister supplied, he glared at the girl then in retaliation because he was furious, he was infuriated and he was itching to rip this impertinate wench apart. The cunt had no idea what she had just admitted to.

"Silence!" he roared, the siblings cowered at his feet as he stood before them and his tail lashed in irritation. His plans for taking of this land required having leverage against InuTaisho; the defender of this territory and the master of these lands. He needed that fucking pup to destroy the mighty Inu no Taisho, else all of this was for not and he would not tolerate that because he had worked too hard for that. And it was infuriating to know that it could be because of these failures of his that he lost the war before it was even won; and because they had lost to a human no less.

"I'm sorry master, I will do anything to redeem myself, please do not kill us," the blue cunt pleaded. His good eye narrowed, he had been stabbed in the eye days prior by some wench who he wasn't even certain if she was yōkai or human. Her scent was translucent even to him and it was almost impossible to tell; one thing was clear though. That girl's sword was definitely a yōkai's weapon and had poisoned him somehow. Many yōkai healers were work diligently to reverse the blinding effects of this girl's poison. But it was pointless because he could not see out of his eye anymore.

"Redeem yourselves? And how do you propose you accomplish that?" he snarled through his nose as he felt his body stiffen. The only form of redemption that he was willing to accept from them was them killing the blasted creature who had blinded him and taken that brat pup of InuTaisho's. The woman needed to die and he didn't care if she was human, yōkai or hanyou, she needed to die. She was a threat to his plans by simply existing and keeping that Sesshomaru brat safe with her. Because he had no doubt that the girl who had stabbed him and the girl who had taken the pup was one in the same.

"We will do anything master." The red one supplied, his eyes narrowed again.

"Then you will have to recapture the brat inuyōkai pup and kill the bitch protecting him. We need that pup, alive for negotiations; InuTaisho will do anything to have his heir safe and sound." The Panther snarled out. And he'd kill the brat right before InuTaisho just before he finished that dog off.

"Yes master, we will not fail you," the blue one said and then she and her siblings were gone. He just frowned. The bitch had blinded him, she would die and hopefully she'd die a slow death. He wanted nothing more than for that bitch to suffer, if she loved inuyōkai so much then she could die like the bitch she was.

* * *

InuTaisho was freaking out, his son was missing, and those fucking cats were threatening not only invade his territory but to also slaughter his pack mates. The notion was terrifying to him but it was to be expected. Those fucking cats had declared war on him when they had taken his only son, the only problem was now no one knew where Sesshomaru was. The cats supposedly lost him; at least by all accounts of the scents he wasn't with them, but someone had taken him. There was a new player in this little war and InuTaisho didn't like it.

He did not like this at all. No one had any fucking clue where Sesshomaru was or where he'd go or who he'd trust. How was it that no one seemed to know his pup!? Even he didn't know what Sesshomaru would do in a situation like this! And he was the pup's father! That was pathetic if you asked him but that was if you asked him. InuTaisho just snarled as he resumed his pacing.

Pups weren't supposed to be mysterious or elusive, they were supposed to be straightforward and honest. But it appeared that his son was anything but normal, even his litter mates Chieko and Fumio had no idea how his son would act. According to them you'd think his son was some unreadable monster from the netherworld rather than a pup, they spoke of Sesshomaru wielding abilities that InuTaisho himself hadn't even developed until he was five hundred years old! It was simply impossible to think his son could be such a prodigy when he didn't even bother to show up for his history lessons with his tutor or train with his tutor.

But more infuriating was hearing how Sesshomaru made everyone in his keep nervous because no one could read him. It simply wasn't possible for a pup of eighty years old to be that impossible to read, but by all accounts no one could read him. This was not making his son easier to find. Apparently because no one could read him no one knew what Sesshomaru would or would not do and that was infuriating and troublesome.

"News?" InuTaisho when he felt the presence of another behind him.

"No, we cannot find hide nor hair of your heir," the inuyōkai replied. InuTaisho frowned. He'd have to send that flea to find Sesshomaru, he realized this now but Myoga was his best spy and he did not like the idea of pulling the flea back here to track Sesshomaru when information was vital to fight this war. Still, he wanted Sesshomaru tucked away somewhere safely so the pup wouldn't be in any danger and couldn't be used as leverage against him.

"Send a message to Myoga, he has a new mission."

"Yes Inu no Taisho," the inuyōkai replied then hurried off. InuTaisho frowned then walked through his home thinking about what he was doing.

* * *

**I'm going to be honest with all of you right now, I might miss tomorrow's updates. I have stuff to attend to that I've been neglecting and it's actually vital that I attend to these errands; besides I've been procrastinating for a week and I have to knock that off. I have to get to work and complete my commitments so I might miss tomorrow's updates.  
**

**Anyways...**

**That's all all for now folks!**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	69. Mysteries of You: Chapter 9

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Immortal**: _Living Forever; never dying or decaying…_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Rin just walked with him on back as they walked through the forest trying to keep her breath and her wits about her as she navigated the forest. The forest was the best hiding place in this world but at this moment she didn't care about hiding, she just cared about getting somewhere safe. Safety for herself and Sesshomaru was the only thing on her mind at this moment in time. He was hugging her tightly and he hadn't let up since they had started this journey. Actually he hadn't let go of her since they had talked.

He seemed rather desperate to hold onto her. She didn't mind but at the same time it was unnerving; she needed to be able to move and be agile for a fight. But since Sesshomaru was a pup he did not have the agility or the ability to keep up with her should she land in the middle of a real fight. This was going to be tactically difficult but it was also going to be vital. If anything were to happen to him, well she wouldn't be able to live with herself if anything were to happen to him. It just wasn't a reality that she was willing to think about or entertain because then she would lose focus. Losing focus was terrifying to her and in the last era that she had been she had lost a lot of focus because of her lord.

"Rin?"

"Hm?"

"Where are you from?" Sesshomaru asked as they walked through the forest, Rin smiled a bit.

"I'm from a human village that doesn't exist anymore because it was annihilated by wolves. I was raised by an inuyōkai and his kappa and a dragon when they took me in so I am from nowhere," Rin huffed out as she bounced him a little higher on her back. His mokomoko wrapped around her waist then to secure him on her back. She smiled at him. "My lord, he raised me. But before he took me in and raised me I was raised by my human family." She bounced him again and mokomoko snaked more securely around her and his arms tightened around her too this time.

"What was your family like?"

"When did you get to be so talkative?" Rin asked as she peeked at her lord who was securely perched on her back. He shrugged indifferently. She huffed out another breath then she sighed. "I had a mother who loved me, I do not remember much about her but I remember she had a kind smile and loved me very much. I had a father, he was very strong and nice to me, he loved me as any father should love their daughter. I had a big brother, he loved playing with me and teasing me, he loved teasing me, I remember that very clearly; he also loved me. I don't remember my family name, I do not even remember my family members' names."

"Why?"

"I was killed," she replied coldly. It was a simple matter of she did not remember much of her life before her first death, and she accepted that as a reality for her; a sad reality but her reality. Her life, her memories, and her identity before her lord had resurrected her were minimal at best. He didn't force her memories but he didn't talk about her memories; at least when he had been raising her it hadn't matter. Now, now she wished she had sharper memories, had tried harder to remember them but it had hurt to remember them so she hadn't and she still didn't.

"Then why aren't you dead?" Sesshomaru asked curiously. She huffed a laugh for that would be a complicated explanation and would probably spoil the future for him if he knew about her. At least what she was in the future.

"My lord brought me back to life, he found mercy on me and willingly brought me back from the land of the dead so that I could live a life." She answered smoothly in her mind, she didn't think that she had slipped up in the least and she certainly didn't think he knew he was her lord; if he did then he'd be more arrogant. Sesshomaru was painfully easy to read and he being a pup just made her job that much easier.

"Do you love your lord?" Sesshomaru pestered, she smiled as she glanced over at the pup.

"I love him more than he will ever understand and I would die for him if he asked," Rin admitted freely. Knowing full and well she was entrusting the pup with her very life and existence. Not that he would understand that she was entrusting him with everything she was.

"Does he love you?" Sesshomaru asked shyly.

"In his quiet way I believe my lord cares very much about me. I do not think that he loves me but that is not a bad thing, at least he cares and is always willing to assist me should I need the help and protection of him," Rin said earnestly. Perhaps this would help her young Sesshomaru grow up into her lord who she loved deeply. Not that she didn't love this Sesshomaru but she loved this one in a different way from his older self.

"That's not love," the pup grumbled, she laughed at his disgruntled tone as she continued carrying him through the woods. Why would it matter if he loved her or not? Either way it was insignificant, all that mattered was that Sesshomaru had her love. No matter what Sesshomaru she was dealing with, whether it'd be with him from her time, the one who snarled and snapped at humans in Izayoi's time, or the pup who was hugging her back. To her Sesshomaru was Sesshomaru and he had her love either way.

"Sesshomaru, all you need to know is that my love is aligned with my lord, no matter what time I should be dealing with him, no matter how angry or hateful he was, and no matter what he's done, I love him and he knows this."

"Do you love me?" he asked.

"Unconditionally," she answered with a smile and continued trekking through the snow.

* * *

**Hey everyone! I have updates for tonight and a few other things to do so I'll have a few things up tonight!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	70. Mysteries of You: Chapter 10

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Immortal:** _Living Forever; never dying or decaying…_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Toran smiled a bit as the pup's scent of blood caught her senses. It was now easy to follow, the human bitch's blood was under the snow but again that scent was translucent as if it weren't even there. However, Toran found she had no problem following the pup's scent, his was that of the inuyōkai's pack and one that was suffocating.

"Toran, what have you found?" Shunran asked in her whimsical voice.

"Blood, the pup left us a trail, quick let's follow it," Toran ordered. She and her siblings now raced through the forest to a cave then looked up the mountain. So they were trying to get out of the valley; well that wouldn't do. Toran could not afford to have that pup get into the dragons' territory; it would be too dangerous to follow if they landed in Ryūkotsusei's land.

* * *

Something was off, Rin stiffened a bit as she held her lord tightly and listened to the silence. It was the silence that was bothering her at this moment as she stood in the middle of the snow and trees. Carefully and quietly Rin roused Sesshomaru then. The pup perked up almost immediately as he held onto her. Rin looked around the trees and the mountain she was climbing; something about this felt off. Quietly she detached the pup from her body, Sesshomaru landed silently on the snow.

Her fingers wrapped around Bakusaiga then as she stood there looking down the mountain. It was just too silent if you asked her, nothing; even in the middle of winter; was ever this quiet. As silently as she could she pulled Bakusaiga from it's sheath ready to attack whatever was coming for her. Lightning came barreling up the mountain Rin slammed onto Sesshomaru as she covered him with her body. It was an instinct really; rather like the one he seemed to have for finding her or protecting her in the heat of a battle and it was a reflex for Rin. When the tree behind her fell she rolled over with Bakusaiga in hand, Sesshomaru on his feet and his claws poised as four creatures emerged from the white fog of the mountain. Rin stepped a bit more in front of Sesshomaru then.

"You know, for a human, you are surprisingly difficult to track with that translucent scent of yours'." Toran announced. Rin just lifted a brow at the feline who in turned smiled revealing her fangs at Rin. There were four of these cats; the blue one and the red one Rin knew and did not like it was the other two which had her edging closer to her lord. One was slim and pixie like with long reddish-brown hair and green eyes, the other was a big burly figure who made her nervous; he made her think of a boulder or something.

"Yeah, well if I made it easy then my lord would be most disappointed in me," Rin replied coldly.

"Hand over the pup, and maybe we'll let you live; human," the green eyed feline purred out. Rin frowned.

"I'd rather not, my lord would not be pleased if I were to betray him by handing the pup over to you," Rin snarled out lowly.

"Have it your way human," the red feline growled. Rin's eyes latched onto the red one, she saw the fire erupt from the woman's fingers then rushed forward. From the corner of her eye she saw a streak of light and heard a scream but who screamed she didn't know. Rin came in low, purposeful deceit on her part as she nimbly leapt through the air at the red one who's fire ball had missed her. The cat screamed, Rin missed though when Bakusaiga was intercepted by a blue ice spear.

Rin rolled down the mountain a bit but rolled to her feet to look at the blue feline who looked younger than her by a lot. She did not let the girl's appearance fool her, she was probably a century old already, Rin was maybe seventeen. Rin readjusted her grip on Bakusaiga. The cat came at her fast, Rin was ready as she fell into the ground for the attack and rolled them down the mountain even farther. The woman screamed when her back slammed into a tree, Rin pulled the dagger from her sleeve then as she intercepted the claws of the redhead. She kept Bakusaiga in her right hand as she threw the red one from her and then struck at Toran who fought back.

At this moment the only thing in Rin's advantage was the high ground; she did not have superior speed or strength against yōkai but she had training so she would be fine. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up, Rin rolled to the ground as lightning blasted the tree nearest to her. She rolled low to look up at the third one; the big one who was panting heavily with several lashing-like wounds on his arms and face. Rin rushed him, she sheathed Bakusaiga but kept the dagger out. She dodged his attacks, it wasn't easy but she was reading him to know where he was going to strike. Slamming into him she felt that she knocked him off his feet; then there was a roaring fire behind her. Not stopping or worrying about the consequences she slammed her dagger into his shoulder then rolled him up as a shield. He screamed in agony as she pulled Bakusaiga again and ran through the snow.

Rin slid to a stop when she was confronted by two of those cats then; Toran was bleeding badly from her side as she snarled at her. All Rin did was hold Bakusaiga and prepare to attack when a giant puppy who was frothing at the mouth with green venom. The cats scrambled away from him but Rin ran towards her lord then. He barked, snapping his jaws as he held himself low to the ground and poised to lunge. Rin effortlessly pulled herself up onto the puppy, perching herself on his shoulders, he growled, the cats were scrambling down the mountain.

"Quick Sesshomaru, get us out of here!" Rin hissed, the pup backed up then he turned to bolt through the forest at high speed, Rin draped herself across his body, hung onto that soft fur and prayed to all that was holy those cats didn't catch up to them.

* * *

"You never said that human was a fighter!" Shunran snapped at her. Toran said nothing as she carefully lifted her battered body from the snow. "Or that the pup was venomous!"

"I didn't think it mattered, we need that pup!" Toran snapped at her sister staring up the cloud of snow dust from the small pup's escape. She hadn't thought the pup to be that strong, her mending body was aching and she didn't want to particularly tangle with those two at this moment. Perhaps she could lay a trap for the pup and the human and separate them.

That girl was just one human after all; how difficult would it be to get her away from Sesshomaru?

* * *

**Provided I don't get sidetracked tomorrow I should have more updates for you guys; starting with Why Should I Worry, then Rain for Tears, Only Tears, This and Healing Pain (obviously), and maybe, Until the Day I Die. But this is all up in the air at the moment and this is provided I don't get side tracked.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	71. Mysteries of You: Chapter 11

**Mysteries of You...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Unconditional:**_ Not Subject to Conditions or Limitations…_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Sesshomaru ran through the woods with the girl pressed against his back and clinging to his fur as they escaped those cats. Not that he'd ever admit this out loud but those four siblings scared him senseless and for good reason. For about a week before Rin had appeared out of nowhere he had been evading those cats. They had taken him from his father's home in the middle of the night; he had killed one that he knew of with a venom fill bite on the arm. Then he had had escaped in the middle of the wilderness.

Not that he'd ever admit this but he had had no idea where he was or where he was supposed to go. He had been lost; and that had been an odd feeling in his mind. Never in his life had he felt so lost and helpless and then she had appeared; she had come out of nowhere and saved him. It was the first time in his life that he had been grateful to see another creature even if she were a human. She was a first for him, and he had been beyond thrilled to see her. When she had saved him he had felt found for the first time in his life and he'd admit that he liked it.

Now though, right at this moment everything in him was screaming get himself and Rin away; mostly keep Rin away, keep Rin safe. He didn't care as much about his fate; it wasn't a real worry for him as he ran up the mountain with Rin clinging to him. It was his job to keep her safe and he had no idea why it was his job but it was duty all the same. Keep her safe and keep her out of harm's way; it was what his inner beast demanded. And now he stopped on a ridge to look down with his ear perked forward as looked down the mountain with his tongue lopping out of his jaws. The cats weren't following and that's all that mattered to him as he snapped his jaws in satisfaction.

"Sesshomaru, I can get down now," Rin informed him when she moved. He nipped his jaws again, and continued up the mountain with her perched on his shoulders. She protested but he ignored her protests as they continued on up the mountain and thought about what he was to be doing. Honestly, he had no idea what he to do besides run and keep Rin safe; he hadn't ever had a friend or important family member either and Rin was both to him.

Sesshomaru didn't understand her being marked with his mark but the moment he had seen the mark he had recognized her as his. She was his mate according to that mark but he didn't remember marking her. He had heard somewhere that yōkai could meet their mate and mark them purely off of instinct as pups but Rin was already marked and he was relatively certain that in eight decades he hadn't ever met or marked that human before in his life. But she was marked all the same.

"Sesshomaru, I can walk," Rin insisted from his back he gave a huff then looked over his shoulder at the girl who smiled at him with disheveled black hair and bright brown eyes. He didn't know if she was pretty or not but he liked her. She just smiled happily at him and never in his life could he remember anyone smiling at him for simply being with him. She was just sitting there though and she was smiling at him as she held that fang in her hand.

He gave a yip and continued up the mountain with her perched on his shoulders.

"Alright so I take it as in you're not going to let me walk," she sighed. He didn't respond as they continued up the mountain. She fisted a hand in his fur and he rather liked the feel of her holding onto him. It felt right and natural to him as they continued through the forest. The trees were thinning as they continued up the mountain. Finally they got to the top of the mountain ridge he was panting as he stared down the mountain at a human compound which made him whine a bit in nerves. He did not like humans at all, well he liked Rin but she was an exception to his hatred of humans. Plus this compound was giving off a strong spiritual feeling to him and he didn't like it. His instincts didn't like this place at all, it was just the last place he wanted to be and after the first incident he had with humans.

"Sesshomaru," Rin murmured as she scratched his neck then slid onto the ground.

He watched her from the corner of his eye then as he shrunk back into his humanoid form. She offered him her hand then lifted him to her hip. His mokomoko wrapped around her waist. She looked down at the compound and she sighed then they began to decend the mountain against his wishes. But he clung tightly to her as he watched the compound; his instincts were demanding that they run away at this moment because humans were dangerous and they would hurt Rin or worse.

"Rin," he chimed in nervously as they neared the compound. Rin stopped and looked at him.

"They're just humans, they're annoying and disgusting and they are nothing. My lord would never be scared of humans, neither am I and you shouldn't be either. I won't let any humans harm you," she promised. He just nodded in understanding then as she walked straight to the compound.

Still he was scared but he instantly hid it. If Rin wasn't scared then he wouldn't be either. He had to be braver than his mate because he was never going to be out done by a girl.

"Rin, can you teach me to use that fang of yours?" he asked.

"No, but I can teach you to wield a sword too; you can't have my lord's fang yet." Rin answered with a smile as they walked towards the compound that he didn't want to go near. But he would be indifferent to this matter because he was Sesshomaru and he was better than the lord Rin served if she was his.

* * *

**Had to shave the Fluffinator today; took FOREVER! I had no idea he was that fluffy when it came to shaving him; I am never forgetting to call the groomer again! Anyways that took up pretty my entire day; oh well it needed to be done.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	72. Mysteries of You: Chapter 12

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Unconditional:**_ Not Subject to Conditions or Limitations…_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

No one was really thrilled to see her and honestly she was not thrilled to see them as she held Sesshomaru on her hip and looked at those eyes.

"No yōkai permitted here," the man snapped at her. Rin frowned then, he was reminding her of Ungai and she didn't like Ungai; that asshole had tried to steal her from her lord. And now as the holy man glared at her lord she only felt hatred then; she hated that man, and she didn't even know him. But at this moment the thing this man was making her think of a monster from her childhood; Ungai.

"Fine," Rin turned around to walk away.

"I never said we would turn away humans." Rin turned to look at the monk then, her heart was as cold as the snow around her and her love of humanity that she had developed with Kagome and Izayoi was withering quickly. This man made her sick to her stomach as she turned to face him while holding her lord tightly against her.

"No, you would never turn a human away; that would mean you were willing to murder a human. But a pup, a child by human standards, you are willing to turn away and let him die for nothing, the one who needs your help." Rin snapped coldly then looked at her lord who was looking indifferently towards the monks. Sighing Rin smiled at Sesshomaru then.

"You and I will make it without human assistance and we will be hind; like always." Rin said encouragingly then she turned to walk away with Sesshomaru tightly against him as they walked back into the snowy forest. She smiled to her lord who looked at her with large amber eyes then internally sighed because she was starving. On top of that Rin had not, absolutely not, been prepared for a journey even further back in time. If she had known that she wouldn't be traveling to her time she'd have figured to have brought a bow, arrows, a few more knives, perhaps several daggers, and short sword rather than just her lord's fang. It didn't make sense for her to travel with only Bakusaiga. Also she'd have brought clothes; warmer clothes that her lord would not have needed to steal for her to survive the winter

Rin knew at this moment that she was nowhere near ready for the journey that she was about to embark on but she was going to go either way. It was vital to her that she complete this mission; whether she wanted to or not. It didn't matter much to anyone but her that her lord survive, and she was certain she could figure out what she was supposed to do here then she could save her lord.

"Wait, why do you travel with a yōkai?" the monk asked.

Rin turned then to look over her shoulder at the monk then.

"I would travel with a yōkai because a yōkai showed me kindness, and showed me love when I received known from my kind. My lord cares about me when none did and he saved me when none would. I would give my live for a yōkai, I would love a yōkai, I would entrust my life to a yōkai and I would die for a yōkai before I ever entrusted my life to a human. Humans just do not understand the depth or the mean of the loyalty or love that I can share with a yōkai. I will gladly travel with a pack of yōkai over a part of humans." Rin turned away then and walked into the forest without looking back then.

They were a good ways away when Sesshomaru finally spoke to her.

"Why do you not trust humans?" he asked her in a soft and curious voice which made her think of the first time that she had met him. Rin smiled at him.

"I was a pup, a child about your age and I was an orphan in a village, I had no one and no one wanted me in turn. The humans from my village were cruel to me; they would beat me and starve me and tell I was useless. They loved hurting me, but then I was taken in by my lord. He was a mighty yōkai; a creature who should've shown me no kindness, not only showed me kindness but took me in and cared about me. I love yōkai, my lord had two companions and though one of them was annoying and rude he would save and protect me, my lord's other companion was the strong, loyal and silent type. He never said two words; ever," Rin smiled at the old memories of her, Jaken, and A-Un.

"So you like yōkai?" Sesshomaru questioned.

"Yes," Rin replied.

"What about daiyōkai? Or inuyōkai?" he persisted. She laughed a bit then.

"I like those too," she promised as she walked through the snow and down the mountain. Sesshomaru started growling then, he turned in her arms, Rin's right hand grabbed her lord's fang then as she drew it and held it up against whoever was following them.

"My lord trained me, I never lose so show yourself," Rin ordered as she stood there glaring into the misty, snow filled forest. Sesshomaru's mokomoko wrapped around her waist as he stood behind her snarling fiercely. She was just pleased that he wasn't digging his venomous claws into her thigh at that moment.

"I'm sorry, I'm a monk at the compound and I heard that Ungai turned away the yōkai pup and the woman left with the yōkai. I was curious about you," she looked into a purple eyed man then as she lowered her fang but didn't sheath it. That name made her eye twitch, she hated Ungai; all Ungais.

"And for what purpose would it serve having you out here?" Rin asked; the man looked a lot like Miroku and if she hadn't known better she'd have thought him to be her lecherous, married, friend from her time.

"I brought you supplies because no one should be cast aside without food, water and at least one descent bow with some arrows. Also, I would like you to take me with you," the man said with a nervous smile. Rin lifted a brow at the man. "You are most beautiful, surely you would need protection."

"What's your name?" Rin asked as she sheathed her fang.

"Michio."

"Great, if you can keep up then you can join my lord and I," Rin said with a graceful bow though Sesshomaru did not bow. He continued glaring at the man, which amused her as she scooped him up and continued down the mountain. A hand grabbed her ass, there was a menacing growl from either her or the pup, then there was a slap which sent birds flying and one monk trailing beside her with her hand imprinted on his face. Clearly this was where Miroku got this attitude; her friend's anscestors were also lecherous and poorly behaved.

This could be one long trip if that were the case.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	73. Mysteries of You: Chapter 13

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Unconditional:** _Not Subject to Conditions or Limitations…_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Sesshomaru glared over Rin's shoulder as they walked through the forest. His mokomoko wrapped tighter around her waist, also strategically he made certain his fur covered her butt to dissuade the human from grabbing his human. The purple eyes watched his Rin as they walked. Rin was his, damnit! He was not sharing her, he didn't know why he was so possessive over Rin but he was and he wasn't sharing her with anyone if it was the last thing he did. This human was no exception as they continued to travel.

Sesshomaru just hugged Rin tightly as the purple man followed them. He didn't like it, but he wasn't going to argue with Rin about this matter. Mostly because he couldn't figure out what his human was up to. But either way she was his and he wasn't sharing her, he just wasn't the sharing type of pup. So he watched the human coldly while trying to hold onto his sanity.

"What's your name?" the man asked.

"Rin, this is Sesshomaru," Rin huffed out as they walked down the mountain. Sesshomaru blinked at Rin in shock at her honesty with who they were, he had wished she hadn't done that because in his mind it was a bad idea. Being honest with others was usually a bad idea, though lying was a dangerous idea too because then one had to think about what lies they had told. Silence would've been for the best, silence was the best shield and the best weapon if one asked him; it was how he had managed to evade his father.

"What a beautiful name for a woman like you," the man said with a smile. Sesshomaru's lips curled back in a warning snarl. The man looked at him with wide purple eyes.

"And apparently an appropriate name for the pup," the man growled. Rin smiled over her shoulder, he frowned.

"You have no idea just how appropriate," Rin mused as she bounced him on her hip and they continued walking through the forest. He hugged his human a little tighter and looked forward at the forest as they continued their journey. He did not understood Rin's cryptic meaning of that but he didn't think it mattered as they walked onwards.

"Rin, why do we have him?" Sesshomaru asked coldly as he shot a glare at the boy.

"Because, the more help at this moment the better; besides he can't be that bad." Rin muttered as she shot a glare at the purple man behind them. Sesshomaru just looked at her then he sighed as he hugged his Rin tighter. He liked Rin, he liked how she would hug him, hold him and protect him; no one had ever openly cared about him the way Rin did. And he didn't want to share her with this purple man or anyone else for that matter, she was his! Sesshomaru glared back at this purple man; Rin was his and if the purple man touched her again he was ripping him to shreds.

* * *

Michio couldn't help but feel that he was on the receiving end of a mass of dangerous hatred and it was coming from that kid. His looked at the amber eyes, they were cold, indifferent and surprisingly dangerous as he looked them over. The pup, the kid, the one Rin held, was far more dangerous than any he had ever met and the yōkai aura the kid let off was so menacing that even he felt in danger as he walked in the back of this party. Rin turned to look at him with dark brown eyes, the prettiest dark eyes he had ever seen and he saw all the mysteries of the world in those eyes as she smiled slightly at him.

"You are a beautiful woman, Rin," he said as he walked up to the side of her farthest from Sesshomaru.

"No, I'm just me, now where's the nearest village?" Rin asked as they walked. He just stared at the woman beside him then smiled a bit.

"This way," he said and led her and the pup down the mountain.

* * *

Rin looked at Sesshomaru as they walked down the mountain.

Well at least Michio was still breathing and it was a relief to her. Apparently some asspects of her lord's personality would never change; he had been this possessive when she had merely been a pup. And it didn't appear that he would be changing any time soon. Rin smiled a bit at her lord, he blinked at her as they walked through the forest. Silently Rin contemplated on whether or not she should tell Michio about the cats hunting them or not. She sighed, if it became important then she'd tell him.

And knowing those cats there was a real possibility that it would be important; just at this moment in time it wasn't as she walked through the snow. Why did there have to be so much snow in the mountains!? And why did she have to keep going to the past; it would be nice if just once she went forward rather than backwards. But she had a feeling that was a pipe dream for her at this point in her life. She looked at the monk then at the pup and decided that this would be a very long trip until she figured out how she was to accomplish her first two missions.

"Rin, what's this?" she looked at Sesshomaru when he pulled up the black pearl and the object she had stolen from her lord. Rin's hand closed over the necklace then and slipped it beneath her clothing again. She smiled at him.

"That is nothing more than a gift from my lord and his father," Rin answered as she tried to wrack her brain for a reasonable explanation for her receiving the pearl. But Sesshomaru never asked, he just tilted his head then.

"I don't like this lord of yours' Rin," he informed her.

"Oh you don't?" Rin laughed as she looked at the serious pup who shook his head. She couldn't stop laughing though as she tried to think of a way to counter that statement.

But honestly, she had nothing.

* * *

**Last night when I went to post this I couldn't get into my account, so better late than never I guess; I'll have another chapter of this posted tonight. Anyways... **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	74. Mysteries of You: Chapter 14

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Unconditional:** _Not Subject to Conditions or Limitations…_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

It was so stinking cold that his teeth were chattering and he didn't even have teeth to chatter! But here he was hopping through the snow and ice; freezing to death; looking for that ungrateful and tempermental pup of his master's. InuTaisho had the most ungrateful and mean brat ever sired but it didn't matter to Myoga as he tried to carry out his master's wishes and find this brat before it was too late. He didn't like this but it had to be done because if he didn't do it and if he failed his master there would be hell to pay and he didn't particularly want to pay that hell. It wasn't something he was looking forward too and it was quickly becoming his reality.

How was it that a pup could vanish without a trace!?

He didn't know but he was beginning to get irritated with this. It was irritating him because he was freezing, he was tired, and he was starving. And his next meal was likely to be that brat and he didn't particularly want to have Sesshomaru's venomous blood for his next meal. He scowled some more as he leapt through the trees and settled on a branch. His master's pup was a bastard and when he got his hands on Sesshomaru he was wringing the pup's neck (provided the pup didn't smoosh him to nothing). Myoga loathed, despised, and hated being out in the cold and yet that's all he had been doing for the past three days. His nose caught a whiff of something tasty which had him zipping through the trees and then he came upon them.

Four scrumptious meal all pulsing with delicious blood which made his mouth water until he heard what they were talking about.

* * *

"That bitch," Toran muttered as she again tried to fix her arm and again she failed because she couldn't move her arm in anyway. It hurt and that human was to blame for this pain; she didn't like it as she stood in the middle of her camp trying to heal herself. It was futile though which had her snarling a bit in frustration. She didn't like that human, that human was different and obviously a threat to her and her siblings well beings if they went after Sesshomaru. But they needed that pup if they wanted to live!

"Next time, don't under estimate a human," Shunran snapped at her. She frowned at her sister as her black tail slid over the snow. That human was different though; they could all sense as much, and there was something different about that isolated pup when he was with her. It was as if the pup were actually dangerous and a threat to them. She had never expected something like this from a pup or a human for that matter. Humans were so weak and fragile and easy to kill; she could crush a human skull with her bare hands.

"That human is different; I don't know how, I don't know why but she's different and that pup Sesshomaru seems mighty attached to her. Perhaps we could use her to get him," Toran grumbled. She rather liked that thought because then she could catch the brat and kill the bitch who had stabbed her shoulder.

"But how do we catch her? She's in Ryūkotsusei's territory and we do not have a treaty with the dragons yet, going there would spark another war." Karan pointed out. Toran frowned.

"We're going to have to go there if we want that pup to use against Inu no Taisho!" she declared flatly then hissed when her sister tightened her bandage.

* * *

Myoga just stared dumbly at the cats and what they had said because he couldn't believe what he had just heard and didn't know what to think of this new information. Never in all his years had he ever heard of a human helping a yōkai; never. For the most part humans tried; futilely; to kill yōkai and now he was hearing of a human not only traveling with a yōkai but willingly picking a fight with yōkai and winning. This human was unusual to say the least and he was most curious about her (if she was a 'her'). Myoga continued his travel without stopping for a snack. He had to travel to the land of dragons and fast.

* * *

InuTaisho wasn't one to worry often but at this moment he couldn't help but worry. He was terrified that his only heir might be used against him. Then again, even if the pup was caught, it wasn't like he had to actually give into the ransom demands. He could always sire more pups, he was still young after all…

* * *

___**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Sesshomaru sat in Kaede's hut without speaking a single word on his mind as he tried not to worry too much about Rin or this impending war and tried to enjoy the moment with his niece. Apparently his niece took after him because she sure as hell was not like her parents! Hoshi was quiet and calm, her brother; Haruto was a loud clingy pup who the moment you set him down started screaming bloody murder. Sesshomaru didn't mind his niece as much because she was quiet and just wanted to be held, which made it easy for him to enjoy her company.

Inuyasha had his hands full with Haruto and Kagome was healing and those idiots from the InuYōkai council were driving him to insanity. Why couldn't people and yōkai alike figure out he did not care!? It didn't matter to him if the humans decided to eradicate the world but it appeared that he'd have to fake caring long enough to win the war and resume his vigil over the well for Rin who would need his help when she came through the well.

"Kagome," he looked at the miko then. "The yōkai from your time, what happened to them?"

* * *

**That's all for tonight folks; I got a lot of updates done today! I'll update Healing Pain, Until the Day I Die, Because I Love You, and this tomorrow and after that I'm going to focus on my Trying Not to Series and wrapping that up.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	75. Mysteries of You: Chapter 15

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Unconditional:**_ Not Subject to Conditions or Limitations…_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

"There are no yōkai in my time," Kagome insisted tiredly. He frowned for that couldn't be true. It just wasn't possible that the human eradicated an entire species. And he sincerely doubted that the humans managed to eradicate the entire population of yōkai because they were so inferior to yōkai. He doubted that humans in this point in time could annihilate all of the yōkai of the world.

"That's not entirely true Kagome," Inuyasha grumbled while holding his small son. Sesshomaru lifted a brow at Inuyasha who shrugged innocently.

"What do you mean Inuyasha? I'm pretty certain that if there were yōkai in my time I'd know or someone would know." Kagome propped herself up then. Sesshomaru didn't miss the skepticism in her blue eyes but he ignored it as he studied his brother who just sighed then.

"Your family; while plenty powerful spiritually; isn't all that powerful in your time. Maybe with proper training they'd be able to do what you do but there's no need to utilize spiritual or yōkai energy in your time. In fact using either draws attention apparently." Inuyasha looked disgruntled about this and Sesshomaru looked at the pup he had who looked sincerely at him before he looked at Inuyasha to continue with his explanation.

"They all gawked at me, everything I did was odd in her time," he grumbled.

"That's because you couldn't try to blend in for a minute!" Kagome snapped.

* * *

Inuyasha didn't bother to mention that even if he had tried to have blend in with her time that he'd have still stood out. People apparently were not used to people wearing kimonos, or leaping into flaming buildings, or punching the lights out of some asshole because he decided to threaten him. It was also clear that people in her time wore shoes; he did not; and they did not like his mane of white hair which really made him stand out.

But all the same he had scented yōkai and a lot more hanyōs than he had ever scented in his entire life. Though he had discarded their scents as irrelevant every time he was there because they did not appear to pose a threat to his miko unless they were from his time. He didn't know why that was; why Yuka was a hanyō of sorts. But apparently Kagome hadn't noticed any of this when she had lived in her time. Then again she was only human and not the most observant one at that.

"The yōkai there, what were they like?" Sesshomaru asked coldly.

"Dunno, quiet; calmer, definitely calmer; and…I don't know, more human," he shrugged; it had never been his worry. "It was like they wanted to be human, there were a lot more hanyōs there too, a lot more."

"Hn," Sesshomaru replied to this information. Inuyasha didn't pester Sesshomaru to know what he was thinking; pestering Sesshomaru usually got one critically injured. So he'd leave his brother be and enjoy his son. Sesshomaru dumped his daughter in his lap then walked off. Inuyasha just struggled to hang onto his two pups.

* * *

Shippo would be the first to admit that he was grossed out. The googoo eyes that Kohaku had going for the new human girl was disgusting him. He felt like he needed to go vomit or something because it was so disturbing. Where was Rin when you needed her? She'd have some smart ass remark about Kohaku's behavior that would send him laughing over the hill. He could rely on Rin for laughs because she was so serious about what she had to say.

"Hey Shippo!" he looked up to the sky and gaped at the dragon that came flying down.

"_**ACH!**_" he ran, he also hugged his tail as he ran out of the landing area. The dragon landed and he peeked around the tree to see a girl slid off the dragon. And yes, she was a girl; her hips gave it away and he had to admit he liked the rest of her figure as well. His green eyes leveled on a set of ruby eyes.

"Sōten?" he guessed thinking of the thunder yōkai who he had been challenged to a duel with all those years ago.

"Yep! Long time no see," She smiled broadly and his heart stopped; she was so pretty now he couldn't stop staring at her.

"Wow! You grew up! What are you doing here?" he asked looking her over, she was breathtaking in his mind. She had a quality he associated with Rin for yōkai beauty: fearlessness and that glint in those ruby eyes which had him smiling deviously, that was a look he had only ever seen in Rin's eyes. He liked it, he liked her, he didn't really know her but his inner yōkai was rumbling in delight as he looked her over; she was gorgeous.

"I heard the Inu no Taisho would be leading the war against humans and I know Sesshomaru-sama travels with Inuyasha-sama and I decided to come and offer my assistance," she explained. "Oh and Koryū wanted to come."

"You made me come boss," the giant red dragon grumbled. Shippo blinked as he stared at the dragon. That was Koryū? Holy Shit! Had that dragon grown!

"Well, you're no longer a snake Koryū," Shippo grumbled only to receive a baleful glare. "This way to Kaede's."

* * *

Sesshomaru just walked to the well and sat in silence while holding Tenseiga, there was a pain in his chest which he was ignoring as he thought about his options. He was cursed; he had been holding Magatsuhi's curse at bay for eight years and now he was being asked to run a war against humans. Sesshomaru didn't know how he got into these messes when Rin wasn't around. He had lived through an all-out war; the cats who had taken him as a pup, the moths who had come, the dragon who had tried to steal his life and had ultimiately aided in his father's death, and that sword and Naruko. He didn't particularly care about the humans, he had never really cared for them but he didn't particularly want to campaneign a war against them.

Sesshomaru was never a leader and he was never a follower, he was always content to go about doing his own thing in life. He looked when A-Un appeared from the forest. The two headed dragon came and nudged his shoulder, he scratched the beasts' heads affectionately while he thought about what he was to do. He didn't want to be a leader in war; he didn't like being responsible for others' lives but it appeared that again he was being thrusted into this position. He sighed internally.

"What would Rin have us do?" he asked the best thinking of his puphood and when she had given him this beast.

"_But why do I need a dragon?" he demanded sharply._

"_Why wouldn't you want a dragon? Dragons are loyal and loving and perhaps one day your mate will need a dragon," she pointed out as she held the egg in her hands. He stared owlishly at her._

"_Fine, I'll take the dragon," he grumbled. She smirked._

Sesshomaru looked at the first friend Rin had given him and knew what they were to do because all that mattered was this well.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	76. Mysteries of You: Chapter 16

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Surrender:** _To Give Oneself Up Into The Power Of Another…_

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Rin stood there panting heavily; when did children get so heavy? She didn't think it was because he was an inuyōkai pup, but rather because he was a child and he was not able to keep up with her and Michio in his humanoid form. In his true form she was certain that he could keep up and probably outpace her and the monk. But her lord had once told her that to stay in his true form for an extended period of time could be hazardous as he would lose contact with himself as the inner yōkai took over his consciousness.

And Rin didn't know about everyone else but she didn't particularly wish to handle a wild, surly, foul tempered, puppy when Sesshomaru from her time was difficult to handle in his true form. If anything she had a feeling that dealing with a little yōkai Sesshomaru would be more dangerous and irritable. She didn't particularly wish to deal with that and an obvious lecher. It was clear with how her lord had his mokomoko wrapped around her waist and ass that he knew just what this lecher was up to. Though it was amusing to her that her lord would be this blatant about his possessiveness she also found it annoying. It was mostly annoying because moving around; walking it was difficult and hot with his fur around her.

"Rin, are you alright?" she looked over in confusion for the owner of that voice to look at amber eyes. It was shocking to hear him voice his concern for her, he never ever voiced his concern for her. Not in her time or in Izayoi's time so Rin could say this was odd and offsetting but not in a bad way as she smiled weakly at him.

"I'm fine, just a little winded; it's tough carrying a pup down a mountain," Rin teased.

"I can carry him," the monk offered. If Rin had been having trouble keeping air in her lungs after hiking down a mountain then she was definatly having trouble as her lord all but strangled her while he was snarling at Michio.

"Sesshomaru! Can't breathe!" she rasped as she tried not to fall down the mountain the rest of the way. The pup blinked at her then loosened his grip but didn't relent in his snarling at the monk who backed away from her.

"Rin, why is he like this?" Michio asked.

"I don't know, he's been this way since I've known him," Rin said honestly because he had been this way since she had been a kid. Just perhaps he wasn't this…verbal or obvious about his possessiveness since she had known him. He stopped snarling when she reached over her shoulder and patted his head.

"You're staying with me Sesshomaru." She murmured softly. "I'll never let you go, promise," she whispered so only his yōkai ears could hear her. He nuzzled his face into her neck and hugged her securely to him. She didn't bother to continue to remind him that she would never let him go because she loved him even if she would leave him. It was inevitable, her leaving; she would always belong to Sesshomaru but she didn't belong in this time or any other time.

* * *

Sesshomaru hugged Rin's shoulders and neck tightly as he clung onto her back. He was scared, terrified, and horrified with his weakness but he would admit that losing Rin was about the only thing he feared in his life. He had never loved or been loved by anyone and Rin was a first. So yes he was terrified of letting her go.

"How'd you get hooked up with a yōkai?" the human asked, he peeked at the man from around Rin's black hair. He just peeked up at Rin who had a mysterious, and slightly knowing smile on her face which had him frowning in reaction. What did this human know that he didn't?

"I was raised by a yōkai lord, and then when I came here Sesshomaru was being attacked or kidnapped?" she looked to him. He shrugged; those cats had dragged him out of his home in the middle of the night and they had attacked him so a bit of both. But he wasn't going to say anything about it though because he didn't want her to know how scared he was before she had come out of nowhere to save him. "Both, and I couldn't leave him so I took him," Rin answered.

"Do you know who's pup this is?" Michio asked as he followed them. Sesshomaru looked at Rin and hoped she didn't know who his father and mother were; then she might wise up and run for her life.

"Of course!" Rin huffed, then smiled at him.

"Who then?"

"Michio, why do you need to know who his parents are? Is it so you can ransom this pup?" Sesshomaru felt the change within Rin as she grabbed her fang. "Because if that is your desire then I'll warn you now that I'll kill you before I let you threaten my Sesshomaru."

"I just ask because I've heard tell of inuyōkai who devour humans and run rampant through this part of the land; also he fits the description of the Mighty Inu no Taisho that I've heard about." Sesshomaru frowned at the human, Rin bounced him on her back and gave him a reassuring smile then.

"Well this pup is my Sesshomaru," he liked how that sounded, "and he's none of your concern. Just know that if you threaten him I'll rip you to shreds, now the village?"

"You sound like a yōkai mother when you talk that way," Michio grumbled.

"That is a kind compliment," Rin smiled earnestly and Sesshomaru guessed that Rin was the strangest human ever born. He liked it!

"The village is this way, and by the way it is a sin to threaten a holy man," Michio said tartly. Rin laughed.

"And it is a crime that I commit; along with many others," Rin laughed as they walked through the forest. He nuzzled Rin's neck and inhaled her translucent scent while he smiled to himself in delight at being loved and having this human with him for company.

* * *

**I had a minute to read the reviews and is Little Sesshomaru really that cute to you guys? I love him, and think that the idea of a little Sesshomaru is adorable but I did not expect the responses I've received for introducing Little Sesshomaru. Anyways, Updates will probably happen Saturday; I'm just busy lately.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	77. Mysteries of You: Chapter 17

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Surrender:** _To Give Oneself Up Into The Power Of Another…_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

Finally they made it to the village, she wrapped Sesshomaru up in one of Michio's spare robes and his being an inuyōkai with ease. Most humans could only tell a yōkai was a yōkai based on sight; few had spiritual abilities to sense yōkai and even if they did they'd just think they were crazy because she and Michio were looking the part of a traveling married couple with a son. Though Sesshomaru had snarled at the mere idea she had threatened him if he didn't play along so they could get a warm room for the night rather than sleeping in the cold and the snow. He had relented but as she held his hand she knew he didn't like this.

Michio led them up to their room, Rin sat Sesshomaru onto the futon before she sat and undid her hair. What Rin wanted was a bath but didn't mention that. Mostly because if she did then the lecher would try to peep on her and Sesshomaru would want to come with her. Privacy was officially dead for her and she didn't know how to feel about that. Still she would try to slip away for a hot bath when these two were asleep.

"So Rin, what exactly are you trying to do?" Michio asked.

"Pardon?" Rin looked at him as she let Sesshomaru crawl into her lap and wrap her arms around him. She never would deny him but she didn't want it known just how important this pup was to her.

"Well you have an inuyōkai pup with you and you're carrying a yōkai sword, are you a hanyō or something?" Michio asked tersely.

"Or something," Rin replied as her lord examined her clawless fingers like she had examined his claws countless times when she had been a child. Michio blinked then sighed.

"Will you please explain to me what your purpose is?"

"That is easy, I serve my lord; no matter what the order or the risk or the danger I will always serve my lord," Rin answered as she affectionately tugged a silver strand of hair. He looked up at her with wide gold eyes and she smiled.

"That's it? You do nothing else!?" Michio looked disbelieving and she smiled.

"My life, my exsistence, my purpose, my heart they all belong to my lord and that is what I will always do," Rin said firmly. Though at this moment she had no idea how she was to save her lord when she had no idea how she was to accomplish the first two of her three tasks. The third task to her was the most confusing but she would worry about it later. She smiled as she bent over Sesshomaru and kissed his crescent moon, the pup blushed and squirmed.

"And who is your lord?"

"The greatest Inu no Taisho to ever live," Rin answered honestly. Even old Tōtōsai agreed that Sesshomaru was the greatest Inu no Taisho to come to rule; he surpassed his father in every way possible. Not that she would tell her lord this now, he was too young and she could be tampering with the past in a way she shouldn't if she did tell him this.

* * *

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"Prove that the sword work how I desire," InuTaisho ordered as he stood in Tōtōsai's shop. The old craftsman huffed and then told him how the fangs worked. The one that he wanted to work; because it was apparently vital for his daughter-in-law was the Tenseiga. he slayed a bird; not that he was proud of this as he and Tōtōsai stood over the bird.

"How does it work?" InuTaisho asked as he slew the grimlens from the Netherworld and the bird woke, healed and flew off.

"It takes a part of your life force and gives it back to the dead, in turn it brings their life back to them. I've found that they can only be brought back once, the second death is irreversible and unchangeable unless you are willing to steal the Meidostone from Zangetsuha Clan then it could in theory bring a person back from death a second time but that's in theory. It's not a guarantee to work," Tōtōsai admitted to him. InuTaisho smiled a bit thinking of one of his many talks with Rin.

"It only needs to work once," he admitted as he sheathed his new fangs and walked out of the craftsman's work space to think about how he was to steal the Meidostone from the famed Shishinki. He'd need it and the Meido Zangetsuha if he wanted the future to go how Rin said it would. It was vital that all of this go as he was planning and how Rin said. He didn't want Sesshomaru to die.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Inuyasha had no idea what was going through Sesshomaru's head, he'd admit that because he didn't think anyone really knew his brother aside from Rin. Even Fumio and Chieko had admitted they didn't know anything about Sesshomaru other than he was scary and foul tempered. So Inuyasha walked up to where Sesshomaru was sitting and sat beside him in silence.

"What makes Rin so special?" Inuyasha finally asked. His brother merely looked blankly at him as if he didn't know what the question meant. But this was something he needed an answer to if he was to help Sesshomaru or the inuyōkai who were coming here preparing for a war.

"That's a mystery, I don't know," Sesshomaru admitted then looked down the well. "She saved me when I was a pup, she bested father when he started seeing your mother, and she nearly died at the hands of Takemaru. I do not know what makes Rin special, she just is."

"Wait, she knew my mother and our father?" Inuyasha asked uncertainly. Sesshomaru nodded but never stopped looking down the well. Inuyasha sighed then, that would mean Rin was genuinely important to time and not just to Sesshomaru. He just groaned, he'd help protect the well though he didn't want to and he'd help Sesshomaru figure out how to get Rin back. He had a soft spot for the girl, she was kind and supporting to him when Kagome was gone; and she had been understanding so he would support Rin though he still didn't like his brother.

* * *

**Sorry about yesterday, I was busy. Anyways, updates! Today I'll be updating Because I Love You, Until the Day I Die, and Healing Pain. Starting Sunday I'll focus on wrapping up Trying Not to Neuter Him; I'll still update my daily peices. **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	78. Mysteries of You: Chapter 18

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Surrender:** _To Give Oneself Up Into The Power Of Another…_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Shippo decided that Sōten was wonderful company, she was easy to be with and though the two of them fought like cats and dogs they got along in their own way. With Sōten there was no pressure and he rather liked it because that meant there was less work for him and he couldn't completely screw this up. On top of that Sōten was not like his normal type of woman. He liked it, she was devious and she was fun to be with because she helped him torment Kohaku who was drooling after that human girl; he was relatively certain that her name was Yuki.

Still as he sat there looking over the well he couldn't help but wonder about where Rin was, he had no idea what she was doing or how she was doing. Shippo sighed as he looked up at that night's sky, it had almost been two weeks since Rin had leapt down that well. It was strange that Rin wouldn't be here for a while; at least he didn't feel like she would be here for a while. She should be here, but he knew she wouldn't be because Rin was down that well somewhere else in time. It was most annoying to be here with googoo eyed Kohaku, an irritable Sesshomaru, a sleep deprived Inuyasha, a post-pregnant Kagome and Miroku's family. How was it that Rin was the only normal one in the group and she wasn't even all that normal!?

Shippo sighed as he stared at the starry sky.

"Who's Rin?" he looked down the tree he was perched in.

"A girl," he replied.

"Well I figured that but I mean who is she?" Sōten asked as she flew up to be level with him. He sighed then.

"Rin is Sesshomaru-sama's human companion, she leapt down that well and now we have no idea where she is," Shippo said calmly as he moved so Sōten could sit on the branch with him. The girl frown a bit but sat beside him as she let her red eyes look down at the well. He had been watching the well with Sesshomaru for the last few days though he didn't know if Sesshomaru knew he was here or not.

"Where does the well go?" Sōten asked.

"Who knows, it used to connect to Kagome's time."

* * *

Sesshomaru was beginning to get annoyed with everyone here. Why couldn't they just do him a favor and leave him alone?

It wasn't that he was the friendliest of creatures but rather that he was the most irritable of creatures. And at this moment if one more creature dared to come near him who was not the dragon he was killing them. He had had enough of Kagome's relentless pestering and Inuyasha's tantrums. He didn't want to deal with this or them or the impending war; he didn't have the motivation to deal with these people. And he was irked that people seemed to think that his purpose in life was to entertain them or lead them into a war that no one was going to win because he already had a reasonable idea of what was to come from this.

Still, it was annoying him to no end that everyone assumed that he'd be their leader. He wasn't going to be their leader and he sure as hell didn't want to be involved with this war. Well… until this war was a threat to the well; then he'd obliterate the threat. He wouldn't tolerate a threat to his only connection to Rin. However he had a feeling that despite what he wanted to do he would be involved with this war.

Sesshomaru internally felt like pounding his head against a mountain. But he refrained because he was Sesshomaru-sama and he did not react externally to his frustrations. He lifted his head when he heard someone approaching him. Turning ever so slightly he saw Sango and Kagome; now he felt like running for the hills. Those two were the nosiest, most annoying females he had ever met, and they couldn't ever leave him alone. If Kagome hadn't been trying to match Rin up with Kohaku or Shippo she had been finding yōkai for him. He didn't like it when those two came up to him; it usually was another attempt at them get him a mate.

"Sesshomaru, could you please help us out?" Kagome asked softly as she sat on the well edge with him. He frowned then looked over at the taijiya who sighed.

"Help fight the war, Rin would want you to fight," Sango said firmly. He just glared at the women. He didn't really wish to be tangled with this mess.

"Hn," he stood up; ignored the stabbing pain he was growing used to; and enveloped himself in light before disappearing. He didn't want to deal with these girls or the war at the moment. Despite his desires he had a feeling that he would be involved with this war whether he wanted to be or not. Where the hell was Rin when he needed her?

* * *

Rin slithered out from under the pup who was using her as his pillow, grabbed clean garments then tiptoed down inn towards the bathes. Wincing a bit as she peeled her clothes off to reveal the bruises on her pale skin. She bit her lip then she dropped the garments before she stepped into the heated water. She hissed a bit as her sore muscles tensed in the heat before she relaxed while lowering her battered body deeper into the water.

"How'd that happen?" she spun around to look at the pup as she covered her breasts.

"Sesshomaru!" she yelped as she looked into a set of amber eyes. The pup walked up to the tub she was hiding in.

"Why are you purple?" he asked pointed to her shoulder where he had grabbed her too tightly when they had been talking with Michio.

"It's a bruise, I'm human and I bruise," she explained then her eyes narrowed on the pup. "And you should be in bed, I wasn't inviting you along when I took a bath!"

"But!"

"Go to bed Sesshomaru!" Rin roared at the pup. He slunk out of the bath. "All the way," she snapped, knowing he was still there. She heard him stomp off and sighed. "You too Michio," she heard another set of stomping and she sighed.

Children! She was traveling with children!

* * *

**Sorry about yesterday, after I posted Healing Pain I got busy so I forgot to post yesterday. I'll have another chapter of this up tonight, now I'm going to work on a chapter of Healing Pain and then the other chapter of this. **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	79. Mysteries of You: Chapter 19

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Surrender:**_To Give Oneself Up Into The Power Of Another…_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

"Boundaries!" Rin snapped as she stormed into the room that they had.

"What!" Michio snapped upright and Sesshomaru looked smug then and she folded her arms while she prayed for patience. The boys were trying to look innocent; and though Sesshomaru was innocent at this age she knew he was no angel nor was he that innocent.

"You're being included Sesshomaru," she informed the pup who's face dropped and his eyes widened as she looked down at him with pursed lips. Trying to keep her temper in check was difficult as she glared at that monk and the pup. The monk was so obviously related to Miroku it wasn't even funny to her as she stood there frowning at those two.

"If we are to be traveling together then we are going to start having boundaries because I am female, I have certain…needs to attend to and I do not intend to have to look over my shoulder every time I need a bath or need to take care of myself." Rin glared mostly at Michio who was trying (and failing) to look innocent as she glared at him. Sesshomaru walked up to her, she picked him up.

"I just followed you because he followed you," the pup insisted. Rin bounced the pup on her hip and frowned.

"I doubt that, but if he follows me again and I'm going to go take care of myself then you can poison him. Just don't kill the bastard," Rin said firmly. The pup nodded his head with solemn eyes. She knew the pup probably had followed her because of Michio but she also knew Sesshomaru would follow her either way. He was her mate; and from what she could deduce age didn't matter with this kind of bond because he used to patrol a comfort zone around wherever he had hid her. Though him being a pup at the moment he'd want to be with her, he'd want to stay with her. He was a child after all and she knew he didn't have the best relationship with his parents. And since it appeared she was taking over being his guardian he would stay attatched to her the way she had to him when she had been a pup.

"Like this pup would poison me, inuyōkai aren't poisonous or venomous," Michio snorted. Rin smiled then.

"You don't know yōkai very well," Rin mused evilly and the man paled slightly as she smiled. Sesshomaru rested his head on her shoulder and she walked over to the futon she had been sleeping on with Sesshomaru and rested. He curled up beside her then pulled her arm over him as he snuggled against her and she closed her eyes. Falling asleep was easy. Staying comfortable while asleep was challenging but Rin didn't lose it as she got as much of a minimal rest that she needed. The heater though was a wiggler, not helping with her desire of sleep.

* * *

The next morning Sesshomaru remained perched on Rin's back as he thought about what she had said last night. He wasn't certain how he should feel about her boundaries but he would try to respect them. Though he didn't know why he couldn't just stay with Rin everywhere. She was his.

"Rin?"

"Hm?"

"Why is Michio with us?" he asked. She looked over at the monk, he glared at the man.

"I'm here because I'm rather curious about where we're going," Michio smiled then.

"Quit staring at my ass Michio!" Rin called over her shoulder and he smothered his laugh as he hid in Rin's hair. Well that answered his questions, and he didn't mind the monk so long as the monk realized that Rin was his and he wasn't sharing her.

* * *

Michio didn't know much about this human but he was most curious about Rin. She wasn't human; even a man with his spiritual powers could sense that Rin was a little more than human. She was a lot less than a hanyō or a yōkai; still she wasn't human. Though one with weak spiritual abilities like Ungai wouldn't sense how different she was or sense what she was capable of. Rin was definitely something just what he didn't know and it was the reason that he wanted to be along on this quest with her.

Michio liked people who were walking mysteries. And everything about this Rin screamed mystery, there was nothing more alluring to him than a person who had mysteries. She was one of the first people he had ever encountered who truly intrigued him for who she was rather than being female.

"Rin?" he called out.

"Hm?"

"Where are we going?" he huffed out as he followed the girl. She looked over her shoulder.

"I don't know, at this moment we just got to keep moving because Sesshomaru is on the wanted list of the Panther Clan." He tilted his head then.

"What?"

"Yōkai, rather like humans, have feuds and wars. And at this moment the inuyōkai at this moment are at war with the panther yōkai," Rin explained to him.

"And Dragons, and Moths," Sesshomaru piped up and Rin stopped.

"You really do just cheer me up," Rin grumbled as they walked through the snow.

"Hn," the pup replied.

"Is there any other war going on that I should be aware of?" Rin asked.

"No," Sesshomaru shook his head and Michio just felt like he was lost in this conversation.

"Are you sure?" Rin asked sharply.

"Well… we're in Ryūkotsusei's territory," the pup mumbled and Michio looked at Rin who looked frustrated and a bit angry.

"Who's Ryūkotsusei?" Michio asked.

"A daiyōkai dragon who has a particular hatred towards inuyōkai because InuTaisho and Ryūkotsusei can never seem to get along," Rin summarized for him.

"Anything else this pup hasn't told us?" Michio glared at the pup who glared in retaliation.

"No," the pup snarled.

"Get along boys," Rin ordered and he grudgingly continued to follow her because following Rin seemed easy. The pup was glaring at him as he glared at it and he just tried not to lose his temper thinking they were walking targets for a dragon named Ryūkotsusei. Honestly Michio was thinking he needed to reevaluate how he made choices and how he picked the women who intrigued him.

* * *

**Second promised chapter of the day!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	80. Mysteries of You: Chapter 20

**Mysteries of You...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Surrender:** _To Give Oneself Up Into The Power Of Another…_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

InuTaisho stood there testing out his new fangs and had to admit, he liked them. They were nice, they were easy to use and they weren't as heavy as Sō'unga and they weren't as talkative. He sensed Sō'unga's jealousy at the blades but he seemed to be muted because of the swords. The way Rin had explained the effect these swords would have had been along the lines of a perfect trinity. She had never truly elaborated what that meant but she had told him enough so he understood the importance these swords would hold in his sons' lives. Though he didn't know about her saying he had a second son when he only had that ungrateful brat Sesshomaru.

Still he had to admit that he liked having these fangs for use because they were easy for him to use. He liked having them because they were powerful but they weren't consuming him like Sō'unga. Sō'unga was an all-consuming force when he touched the weapon. However he still liked having Sō'unga to use because that sword struck the fear of Kami into his enemies like the Moths, the Panthers, and the Dragons. All but that one human had always feared him.

Then again he was having a feeling that that human was a very different human; though his son's savior had claimed to be a soothsayer. She had also been fearless in the face of the three other clan heads as she had revealed their futures to all of them. Now that he thought about it he was relatively certain that that soothsayer's name had also been Rin. Perhaps they had been one in the same but two hundred years between meetings didn't mean one would recognize a person immediately. If those Rins were one in the same then he could see why his son had been so attached to that soothsayer. Mates weren't about age, they were about the bonds.

And if Rin and Sesshomaru had a real bond then they were a dangerous pair.

His son was a lethal creature but birth. And training had only honed his son's killer abilities; the pup was lethal and with his possessiveness of Rin then there was hopes for his son to gain the compassion he lacked. Then there was Rin, another part of the pair who was fearless. If Sesshomaru was the lethal half of the pair then Rin was the dangerous one because it was as if she didn't understand fear. But if that Rin was the same Rin who saved his son when he had been a pup then she had been the one to install the fearlessness into him. He could see that, after all the pup had been with that soothsayer and monk for about a year.

Still InuTaisho knew Sesshomaru wouldn't like what was to come with these swords. Or that Rin was currently missing for a month now.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

There were many things that Inuyasha knew he'd never undersgand. He knew that he would never understand how that infernal well worked. He knew he would never understand his brother's relationship with Rin. And he would definitely never understand fate or how it worked but as he sat there holding his son in his arms he realized that all that he didn't understand was meaningless. It was for the good of the world that fate was left a mystery because if everyone was to know their destiny then no one would life their lives. And he for one wanted to live life to the fullest.

It was the reason he was willing to jump halfcocked into a fight. It was the reason he had been torn between Kikyo and Kagome. It was also the reason he worked so hard to defy everyone who had ever tried to hold him back. He also knew that it was the reason he was a fighter for everything he believed in. but as he sat there listening to Chieko and Fumio trying to talk him into being their military commander he knew that Sesshomaru was fighting a fate that had been laid before him years before hand by their father.

And the asshole was ignore everyone! Inuyasha had had enough as he handed his son to Sango and stomped after his good for nothing brother who was making him endure war talks and respect; no yōkai in Inuyasha's life had ever respected him. Enough was enough and his good for nothing brother was getting his ass back down into his hut and he was going to agree to lead the damn army even if it was all for show and then they would integrated themselves into the humans because he wasn't letting his children be hunted for all of eternity for merely being born with yōkai blood.

And if securing his pups' future meant kicking his brother's ass onto a battlefield to do that then so be it! There was nothing Inuyasha wouldn't do for his pups; he had figured that out within moments of seeing his first pup and then his second and then he had seen his mate holding them. Short of killing them there would be nothing he wouldn't do for those pups. And at this moment keeping his pack and family safe meant that he had to kick and drag Sesshomaru onto a battle field then so be it.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Hn?" his brother turned to look at him.

"You are getting your fluffy ass down to the hut and you are going to man up and take your position as Inu no Taisho or so help me I'll kick your ass all the way to the battle field!" Inuyasha shouted as he stalked up to his brother.

"This war is pointless," Sesshomaru informed him.

"I know that, you know that, but they don't know that and either way the yōkai will fight and if they do and they don't have a leader they will be extinct! They need a leader and that leader is you. Man up and accept it, no get your ass back into the hut!" Inuyasha grabbed Sesshomaru then and dragged him along.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Movie Night so I'll update tomorrow!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	81. Mysteries of You: Chapter 21

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Conviction:** _A Strong Persuasion or Belief..._

* * *

**Chapter 21**

"Alright Sesshomaru," Rin said as she walked into the cave they had picked for the night with her arms filled with firewood. She dropped it on the spot she knew would be ideal for starting a fire. Michio was chattering his teeth as he sat there shivering as Sesshomaru wrapped himself up with his mokomoko.

"Hn?" the pup looked up at her with large gold eyes.

"Who are the yōkai clans the inuyōkai are at war with and who are your allies, where the safe lands are and where our enemies would be and maybe we'll continue traveling tomorrow. I'd like to know where we're supposed to go," Rin admitted as she wacked Michio's hand away and started the fire with ease. Years of practice while traveling with her lord had made it easy for her. Even Jaken with his staff couldn't seem to make a fire as quickly as she could.

"The inuyōkai are allies with the ookamis, the kappa, the tengu, and the kitsune clans. We're at war with the panthers, the moths, and the dragons. This mountain is in dragon territory; two mountains to the east is the ookami territory though," Sesshomaru supplied for her. She frowned.

"Who's your nearest friend at this moment?" Rin asked him.

"You," he said earnestly. She palmed her face then.

"Your nearest ally," she reiterated through clenched teeth.

"The ookami, maybe a wandering kitsune," Sesshomaru supplied for her. Rin frowned. She didn't particularly want to travel into ookami territory. She still had nightmares about her first death; all the teeth and pain and the wolves. It was terrifying. Rin couldn't even stay around Edo when Koga came to visit and Koga was no longer a threat to humans.

"Alright, so we travel to this ookami territory." Michio said as he turned his purple gaze onto her. Rin just shuddered at the mere thought of traveling there but she refrained from showing how much traveling into ookami territory scared her. Wolves in general were terrifying to her and she didn't particularly relish the idea of dealing with the entire pack just because she was holding Sesshomaru and keeping him safe. A pack of wolves was simply too much for her to handle even as a grown woman; hell she couldn't even handle a single wolf.

"No, there's got to be a closer ally, getting over two mountains would takes weeks; perhaps even months in this kind of weather and I don't know about you but I don't want to be in dragon territory longer than I have to be. I don't want to die because I'm here; I have a mission to carry out and I can't waste my time running around." Rin said firmly; mostly she was hoping for an out rather than having to deal with the wolves.

"Sesshomaru, do you have a closer ally?" Michio asked as he stared blankly at her.

"No," the pup replied and Rin felt like pounding her head against a mountain then.

"Rin the only way out is to the ookami territory, it's the safest place for this pup," Michio pointed out. Sesshomaru crawled into her lap then and Rin hugged him to her so she didn't lose her mind with the idea of having to travel into ookami territory.

"Oh, we're also allies with the tora clan," Sesshomaru announced.

"That's good, where are they?" Rin asked eagerly; she'd rather deal with tigers than wolves any day of her life.

"North of the ookami territory," Sesshomaru informed her again. And again Rin felt like screaming. She didn't want to face the wolves it was a scary prospect.

"Sesshomaru is there any other way to any of the inuyōkai allies?" Michio asked.

"The quickest way from dragon territory is through the ookami territory but it one ws willing to go north for about four mountain ranges then one could land in the tengu mountains and they would grant us sanctuary," Sesshomaru said carefully. Rin liked that plan better.

"That's a wonderful idea; that isn't that long of a journey and tengu are far more trustworthy than ookami!" Rin said happily.

"Four mountain ranges, Rin," Michio said slowly.

She glared at him; she liked four mountain ranges to tengu better than she liked three mountains to ookami.

"I follow Rin!" Sesshomaru announced seriously.

"And I'm going to the tengu rather than the ookami," Rin said firmly and Michio looked ready to pound his head against a rock.

"Rin, are you really willing to trek through four mountain ranges rather than three mountains to get to safety?" Michio asked crossly.

"Yes," Rin replied. She knew it was stupid and illogical and not the best choice that she could make in her life but there was absolutely no way in the netherworld that she was willing to travel through ookami territory. Wolves were literally her worst nightmare (along with bandits but she no longer feared bandits the way she feared wolves); and that was saying something after all Naruko had done to her in her childhood.

"Rin, that makes no sense, think of Sesshomaru. A pup his age couldn't trek through four mountain ranges in the middle of a winter and never ending blizzards; you're asking this pup to die."

"I made it," Rin said softly then she looked into the purple eyes of the monk.

"What?"

"I'm only human and I survived not one but two winters while trekking through the mountains with far less than what we have now. I've survived avalanches, blizzards, mountains that crumble, freezing temperatures and lands so cold that merely breathing hurts because your lungs burn and they freeze at the same time. I've been trapped in the snow and I've been buried alive in a cave by snow and ice, all so I could follow my lord. If I could survive and I was only human I can't image what an inu daiyōkai pup could do, the only question Michio is are you willing to travel with us or do you wish to travel to the ookami territory?" Rin asked as she hugged Sesshomaru firmly to her.

Brown and purple never wavered from one another as Michio opened his mouth to reply.

* * *

**I just love where this story goes... (= I'm enjoying writing this. I'll have more updates for you guys tomorrow.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	82. Mysteries of You: Chapter 22

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Conviction:** _A Strong Persuasion or Belief..._

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Michio stomped after the woman and the inuyōkai pup grumbling the entire time. He could not believe that he had just agreed to this. Not only was he following her but they were trekking through a blizzard, with a pup, through the mountains, in the wrong direction! He was pissed but he wasn't stupid enough to argue with a stubborn woman with a lethal inuyōkai pup on her side. Michio wasn't a stupid as his fellow monks had thought from time to time but now he couldn't disagree with them.

He couldn't believe that Rin was dragging Sesshomaru and him through this mess all because she didn't like the idea of being in ookami territory which would be a safe haven for them because they had an inuyōkai pup in their possession. But it appeared that the mere thought of being ookami territory had terrified the beautiful Rin and she'd rather freeze to death in dragon territory. Michio didn't like this but he wasn't going to argue with her. He had chanced a glance at her arm and seen a nasty bite so he had a feeling that that bite was probably tied to Rin's apparent fear of the ookami.

"Rin, we should stop for the night!" Michio called out to the woman. She turned her head slightly and nodded as she led them through the mountains. If he didn't know better he'd have thought that Rin had traveled through these mountains before. But Rin also took directions from the pup who she carried. Rin walked them into a cave then. Michio let his teeth chatter and saw Rin's indifference to the cold as she set Sesshomaru down and grabbed their travel bundle from him. Michio's fingers were so numb he didn't think that he'd be able to make a fire so he left that to Rin. Sesshomaru moved a boulder in front of the enterance to their hideout before he did a dog shake drying himself off. The monk envied the pup's indifference and ability to be held by Rin all the time.

"Here Michio, wear dry garments; you'll warm up faster, I'll dry your other robes," Rin said as she tossed him some clean garments. He didn't ask where she had gotten them from. Michio was fast to strip when he glanced over his shoulder in the fire lit cave. He stared at a scar riddled pale back of Rin, he just gaped at the scars, they were faded bite marks; there were other scars like lashings and burns but he didn't know what to make of them as he walked forward and touched her shoulder.

"What happened to you?" Rin jumped as she wrapped her arms around herself but his eyes weren't wandering over her as he stared at her back.

"I was burned, lashed and beaten when I was a child; I was also attacked by ookami wolves, and you had better release me before Sesshomaru reacts to me being touched like this," Rin said coldly. His purple gaze flicked to the pup who was snarling. Michio smirked a little as he stepped away from Rin.

"Is the pup your bodyguard or something?" Michio teased as he turned around and tugged on the dry clothes Rin had tossed him.

"No, I'm yours," Rin said with a teasing tone. He smiled a bit. He liked Rin all that much more as he turned and sat at the fire. Rin sat across from him when Sesshomaru crawled into her lap and again he pulled her arms around him. Michio smiled a bit at the sight for it was an interesting sight. The human woman and her inuyōkai pup; this was the start of legends if you asked him.

And they were also the oddest group that had ever been seen; a human woman who wasn't human, an inuyōkai pup, and a monk. They were definitely the oddest group to ever be formed.

"Why were you treated so badly as a child?" Michio couldn't resist knowing more about the woman before him.

"Michio, there are many things to pass which one cannot change and I'm not discussing what happened to me as a child when there is a young pup with us," Rin looked at the silver pup then and he frowned. She was ever elusive; he liked it.

"You aren't all that bad Rin," he mused.

"My lord raised me to be hell so I hope I'm not bad," she said sweetly and for the first time since this morning when they had started this ridiculous journey he laughed. She smiled innocently and if it wasn't for that glint in her dark eyes he'd have thought her to be innocent.

"Rin's a yōkai!" Sesshomaru said happily and he gaped at the pup then they all laughed.

* * *

Sesshomaru snuggled closer to his human mate and smirked a bit at her laughter. He loved her, she was his best friend and he was certain that he would never forget Rin for as long as he lived. His human leaned over him so her midnight hair created a veil around him and he openly grinned at her.

"I'm not a yōkai, I was raised like one though; never forget that Sesshomaru," she kissed his brow. He blushed at the affection from Rin. Rin yawned and then she set him aside. "We have a long journey tomorrow, Michio and I should rest and you should to Sesshomaru."

"Night Rin," Michio yawned as he stretched out by the fire then Michio was asleep. Rin curled up by the fire and her heart slowed as her breathing deepened and she too fell asleep. Sesshomaru was terrified to sleep; he didn't sleep often but he was scare at this moment for if he fell asleep and had that nightmare of when the cats kidnapped him again. It could be a reality if he opened his eyes and this could be a dream.

He tended to the fire for a few hours before the sleep he had been fighting off for days. He walked over to Rin then and tapped her shoulder, she was hugging her fang against her.

"Rin, I can't sleep," he mumbled shyly when she cracked her eyes to look up at him.

"Do you want company for sleep?" she asked softly.

He nodded.

"Alight. Just this once though," she lift her arm and he curled up against her stomach and chest then he pulled her arm around him and he let the sleep he had been fighting come to him then.

"I'll always love you Sesshomaru," Rin murmured in his ear.

"Night Rin," he mumbled then he let the sleep over come him as he smiled a bit at her words.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	83. Mysteries of You: Chapter 23

**Mysteries of You...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Conviction:**_A Strong Persuasion or Belief..._

* * *

**Chapter 23**

Rin just woke with her heat monster curled up against her and a growling stomach. Carefully she pulled herself up then looked at the slight crack between the entrance and the boulder; she could fit through that. Quietly Rin slid her arrows and bow through the crack then pulled Bakusaiga through before she shoved out her furs before she wiggled her body through the crack. She shimmied her skinny frame through the crack before she pulled on her furs, slid Bakusaiga into her sash and picked up her bow and arrows.

Stomping through the snow which was up to her waist was a bitch so she pulled herself up into a sturdy pine. She hadn't done this since she had been a child but she was willing to do this so she didn't have to sink with every step she took. Carefully Rin slung the bow over her shoulder as she balanced on the branch then began looking for the routes which would lead her from tree to tree like a monkey. Agilely she rushed through the trees, this had been easier when she had been a child, and when her feet weren't covered. Finally she made it far enough away from the cave that she could perch herself and watch the wildlife and wait. All hunting was, was a waiting game. Rin pulled her arrow back as she watched the white world she was perched in.

The snow drizzled today rather than poured into a white out like the last few days. Something moved, she released her arrow, white turned red and something else moved, she drew another arrow and released it at the other thing moving before she pulled another arrow and turned in her perch to release it at the flutter she had seen from the corner of her eye. Sitting in her perch beside the trunk of the tree she carefully assessed the white around her, there was nothing dangerous that she could sense at this moment as she carefully clambered down then. She kept an arrow notched as she made her way towards the first two red pools. Rabits, carefully Rin tied their feet before she stood then walked to her third hit, a monkey. Sighing she strung up her three kills before slinging them over her shoulder and returning.

The boulder was off the entrance the moment she neared and Sesshomaru came flying at her. Rin dropped her arrow and bow then as she caught him.

"Sesshomaru!" Rin squeaked as she slammed into the snow.

"Where were you!?" the pup demanded as he grabbed onto her.

"Hunting, humans need to eat," Rin said as she got up and put the pup on the ground, he latched onto her hand so she picked up her bow, arrows, and breakfast as Sesshomaru dragged her back into the cave where Michio was laughing slightly.

"Sorry monk but I only hunted meat," Rin said as she dropped the rabbits and monkey by the fire as she sat beside the fire and began skinning breakfast.

"That is fine Rin, I will be grateful for food," he said with a smile. She nodded as she continued her work. It was a while later after bleeding and skinning her breakfast that two rabits and a monkey were cooking and she was changing into the garments she had been wearing the day before.

"This was good hunting, who taught you to do this?"

"I did, I taught myself," Rin answered honestly as she looked at Michio then sat on the furs she had been wearing. Sesshomaru crawled into her lap again and curled up against her, Rin gave him the monkey because Michio had taken the larger of the two rabbits for himself.

"That's impressive hunting for someone self-taught." Michio commented as he ate his rabbit. Rin shrugged.

"With my lord it's learn fast or die," Rin said between bites of her breakfast. Though how Jaken had survived all those decades with Sesshomaru when that was his standard policy she didn't know. Her surviving with her lord was mostly a flux of his will. When she was ten though he had insisted she know hunting, fighting, and other skills he felt a young woman who would travel with him should know. The catch was she had to be self-taught in hunting and survival; survival she knew forwards and backwards. Hunting had been challenging but she learned to hone her skills from being a thief and traveling with Sesshomaru and began her training in hunting. She was successful now and never used and arrow unless she was going to hit something.

"That's seems to be a cruel way to make a child learn how to hunt."

"Well it beats being a thief, though I'm still a thief so I'm not certain his self-training methods worked," Rin mumbled. Michio laughed as he ate and Sesshomaru looked confused but didn't say anything as he munched on the very rare cooked monkey. Rin knew he wasn't fond of human foods because he didn't like meat being cooked; he was partially dog after all but he would eat the food she cooked if she cooked it for him. He had when she had been a child and cooked him a fish or something.

"Rin, I must admit if you were an available woman I would beg you to marry me," Michio chuckled.

"I'm a married woman by yōkai standards and so I would advise for your life expectancy that you not pursue me. However I have a feeling that you will find a beautiful woman who will at least tolerate your lecherous behavior," Rin tease and he laughed while Sesshomaru looked a little lost but content as he ate his monkey. They ate in peace.

"We'll move out now, see how far we get and settle into another cave. These mountains are riddled with caves I bet," Michio said after they finished eating.

"Yeah, we'll continue traveling, keep the water skin close to our bodies so it doesn't freeze," Rin said as she pulled on her furs then as she slid Bakusaiga into her sash. Michio followed her lead as he doused the fire then lifted up their travel supplies before they left together. Sesshomaru hugged her tightly, she patted his linked hands as they walked into the heavy snow fall and into the endless white world that never seemed to start or end. To the tengus they went, Rin thought as she smiled a bit at Sesshomaru's attitude.

* * *

**Well at this moment that's all folks! I'll have another update for Healing Pain tonight then starting tomorrow I'm going to start wrapping up Trying Not to Neuter Him.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	84. Mysteries of You: Chapter 24

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Conviction:** _A Strong Persuasion or Belief..._

* * *

**Chapter 24**

_**Run!**_ Just run, don't stop, his tail was on the line; literally; and he wasn't thrilled about this as he dove through the snow to avoid the irritated dragon who flew over him. This was not fun, and this was all because some stupid cats who were trying to take over the Inu no Taisho and he wouldn't follow them!

But damn it all he was a kitsune!

He was no cat loving yōkai and he was staying in dragon territory until he reached tengu territory. Then he was hiding there for a bit before he moved on. Huffing he pulled himself out of the snow then dusted the snow off of his fine silk kimono. Irritated he shook his head, his large ears flopped around before he continued walking. This would be so much easier if he did happen to be a wanted kitsune with the inuyōkai clan for a tryst he had had with one of their bitches.

Oh well, this fox would admit that he had an infatuation with strong, dangerous women and for the most part the inuyōkai clan held the most dangerous of females ever introduced to the yōkai world. But even he would admit that perhaps it hadn't been the smartest of ideas to woo InuTaisho favorite bitch (who was not InuKimi because he was not suicidal enough to woo that bitch). Now he was stomping through the snow trying (vainly) not to sink or die. He saw something interesting from the corner of his amber-green eye which had his silver fox ears perking up and his tail swishing in anticipation as his hand gripped his katana. Most interesting…

Kitsune, and foxes, were curious creatures by nature and so being the curious creature he was he decided to follow what had snagged his interest. Stealthily he followed the two dark forms through this white out. As he approached he saw that two was really three but it made him frown a bit at what he was seeing. Two humans and an inuyōkai pup, this was the start of a bad joke.

Still he was most curious as he followed them...

* * *

"Rin," Sesshomaru hissed in her ear. He didn't think the human heard him though as he turned to look over his shoulder and scented the icy air again. There it was again. Sesshomaru's gold eyes narrowed as he searched the white out behind them for a sign of what was irritating him. Nothing.

Enough!

Sesshomaru lashed his arm out and let the venomous light whip fly from his fingers to slash through the falling snow. His eyes narrowed when a slim white kitsune revealed himself. Rin had stopped when he had let her go to attack this…fox and now he felt his Rin's eyes narrow at the sight of the kitsune. He hugged himself to Rin again as he watched the kitsune walk forward and smiled slightly. Sesshomaru didn't like those amber-green eyes watching Rin so intently.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Michio called out. Sesshomaru didn't like the monk but he was happy that the monk had spoken up instead of Rin. He just snarled at the kitsune.

"I could ask you the same, I'm certain that that brat the bitch is carrying is the brat of Inu no Taisho," the kitsune pointed to him and he stiffened against Rin as he internally panicked. If Rin knew would she leave him? Would he be left alone agin.

"I know who the pup is, I don't know you," Rin shouted. Michio just blinked at her then he looked at him and Sesshomaru hid in Rin's hair as he peeked over her mark at the kitsune.

* * *

Rin just watched the fox like a hawk. She felt odd at this moment, like she was meeting someone who was both extremely important and vital to history. Though she didn't know much about yōkai history she knew enough to know that kitsune, in general, were very important. But there was something different about this kitsune, something that she knew Shippo didn't have or any of his other kitsune friends. There was a sort of greatness in him that had her in an awe; though her lord was still more powerful and dangerous in her mind.

"Oh, well then I should introduce myself. Masaru," the kitsune bowed slightly and Sesshomaru burst into a fit of snarling. Rin didn't bother to sooth her lord as she grabbed Bakusaiga firmly in her hand and her other boasting her lord on her back. Michio had his staff; one rather similar to Miroku's; ready for a fight.

"Masaru, I'm Michio, that's Rin and the inuyōkai is Sesshomaru, and we're leaving," Michio stated before he stepped around him and Rin. Rin started backing away and kept her hand on the fang as they backed away.

"And where, might I asked, are you three going? You do know inuyōkai and dragons are at war right?

"I am aware," Rin replied because it was stupid to pretend ignorance. It was also not smart to toy with kitsune because they were a devious breed by nature and they weren't exactly known for taking lies well. Rin remembered what had happened the last time she had lied to Shippo; it hadn't been pretty. Rin looked nervously at Michio who was being a human shield for her and Sesshomaru at the moment.

"Then you know it would be for the best if you got Inu no Taisho's pup to safe territory, I'm heading for the tengus I'd be happy for the company." She looked at those earnest green-amber eyes. She looked at Michio's violet eyes and he nodded slowly. Rin glanced into the gold eyes of her lord and he glared at the kitsune so she smirked a bit.

"We're heading for tengu territory too, if you would like to join us then come on but try to walk us off a cliff or into a dragon's lair I will slice off your silver tail and leave you for the dragons," Michio said menacingly and Rin smirked then as they turned to continue heading north off of her internal compass. The kitsune caught up to them quick enough and followed them with ease.

* * *

**I loved writing Masaru from my Trying Not to Grow Up story so I decided to bring him here... **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	85. Mysteries of You: Chapter 25

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Conviction:** _A Strong Persuasion or Belief..._

* * *

**Chapter 25**

For many, many, many reasons this was feeling familiar to Rin. Let's see, there was a kitsune, an annoying one but there he was with them all the same. There was a lecherous monk, and he made her think a lot about his descendent who was also a lecher with two daughters and three sons. There was an inuyōkai, Sesshomaru, who despised all humans and creatures alike unless they were her. And finally there was her, a normal human who was constantly being told by a monk and a kitsune (who were now debating the matter between themselves) about her lack of being human but being human all the same. Rin wanted to scream at the familiarity of this mess! All that was missing was a taijiya and since she was traveling with Sesshomaru she was not welcoming a taijiya into their group.

Besides, she didn't think she could take another man telling her about what she had to do or where she had to go.

And she was not going to be so stupid as to take orders from her lord at this moment in time. Following a pup version of her lord was challenging and he was clearly a blood thirsty little bastard; he had tried to poison Michio and Masaru just thirty minutes ago. Rin sighed as she carried the pup and tried to think of a way to complete her mission and get around these three males. It wouldn't be easy but she was certain she could do it because she would not fail her lord, she just wouldn't fail Sesshomaru-sama when he put his faith in her.

He had entrusted her with a gift far more precious to her than any jewel or silk kimono or weapon. He had given her something which made her far richer than any daimyo or emperor and more powerful than any daiyōkai. And because he had never entrusted it to anyone else she wasn't going to fail him, she wouldn't fail, she wouldn't surrender, she wouldn't die here, and she wouldn't give up though all of this felt hopeless to her as she followed Masaru through the blizzard. Rin snarled though over her shoulder at the lecher who was eyeing her ass. Yes, she could feel him ogling her ass as she walked with Sesshomaru hugging/strangling her.

"We need to take shelter," Rin shouted at the kitsune through the ice, the sleet, the snow, and the wind but she knew the fox heard her from a flick of his large ear. Bouncing Sesshomaru on her back she continued shoving her way through the snow and storm. The weather was so brutal that she thought it was getting worse just to spite them. It wouldn't surprise her if that were true. It didn't seem anything in this time wanted to go her way. Ever. Not that Rin wasn't getting used to nothing ever working right for her but this was getting excessive. And annoying.

Finally they made it into a cave where Rin heaved a sigh of relief from the weather which had been fusing her eyes shut with the ice and her lashes. Soon after she had a fire going Michio and Sesshomaru were sound asleep. Nothing could've waken them up from the way they fell asleep. That left Rin with Masaru who sat across the fire lotus style, like she was, with his katana propped on his shoulder, also like her, and his hands hidden within his sleeves, not like her as she sat there with her lord sleeping soundly in her lap.

Her eyes never left his green-amber eyes as they watched one another from across the dancing flames. His silver tail twitched a bit as he sat there and then Rin smiled a bit.

"I feel as if I should know you," Masaru said suddenly. Rin tilted her head to the side slightly perplexed with what he had said. The only kitsune she knew, really knew, was Shippo and not this silver fox.

"I do not believe I have met you," Rin replied. She'd have remembered meeting a silver kitsune like him, but then again she had dreamt of Sesshomaru since she had been a baby so it was possible that she had met him but she didn't think she had. It was possible though.

"Not in this lifetime but I believe that in the future," Masaru said darkly, "you and I met."

"I don't understand," Rin replied and Masaru gave her a bitter smile then.

"Do not worry about it, I just know that I've met you at some point or other in time," he replied. Rin smiled slightly as she studied the silver kitsune intently.

"Why are you here with us?" Rin asked carefully because she didn't want to offend her newest ally.

"Because…" Masaru trailed off then he sighed. "It's as complicated as you being here Rin. You do not belong in this time or here just like me."

"How'd you know?" Rin asked as she stroked her lord's hair when he tensed.

"Because you are like me, I was sent here to help you by Mikadzuki," Masaru smiled slightly as she sat there studying him with interest. This kitsune was different for some reason and she just couldn't put her finger on why he was so different from the others that she had met.

"Help me with what?" Rin asked carefully.

"Well, that's for me to know and you to trust. I mean you no harm Rin. I am only here to help you against Magatsuhi," the kitsune said.

Now Rin frowned while she straightened and stiffened at the mere name of the yōkai who had returned her life to a hell that she had wished to never endure again. But here she was, and here was a kitsune watching her as they sat in silence in their refuge.

"How do you know that name?" Rin asked as ice filled her temper and fire fill her veins while she glared at this kitsune ready to attack if her lord were threatened.

"Because... you told me all about Magatsuhi."

"I have never told anyone about Magatsuhi." Rin stated coldly as her hand went to Bakusaiga. "And _**who**_ is Mikadzuki?"

* * *

**Hey, long time no updates. Sorry about that... **

**Not really to be honest, I've had a nice relaxing time as I ignored my writing in general; I haven't been writing at all these past few days. It wasn't writer's block if you're wondering, I don't suffer from that but I'm by nature a procrastinator so when I decide not to do anything I usually don't.**

**Progress! At long last the plot is continuing past the fluff! I like the fluff though...  
**

**Anyways...I'll be back with daily updates!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same!**


	86. Mysteries of You: Chapter 26

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ephemeral:**_Short Lived; lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace…_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

"Mikadzuki sent me to you, and I'm the only other to know about Magatsuhi here aside from you," Masaru informed her as he sat there assessing her. Yes, these two were one in the same, he was certain of it as he sat there watching her closely. He didn't think she knew her hand was wrapped around the white hilt of her fang. He smiled then.

"No one knows about Magatsuhi so why do you?" Rin demanded in her icy tone. Yep, there was no doubt in his mind now as those dark eyes glared at him with her cold attitude.

"Because, Mikadzuki told me all about Magatsuhi and you," he replied truthfully. Rin blinked.

"Me?" Rin tilted her head then as she watched the flames then. Masaru smiled to her as he remembered Mikadzuki. Yes, he had little doubt but he knew better than to reveal everything he knew as he watched her.

"Yes, Mikadzuki told me about you and your quest, I believe it is part of the reason that I am here. I'm not one to reveal everything I know and honestly I do not believe that it is a good idea for me to reveal everything but you will be in need of my help if you are going to do what I think you're going to do." Masaru knew full well that she was more than likely to do what Mikadzuki.

"And where do you think I'm going to do what exactly?" Rin asked in her iciest tone.

"You're going after the Panther King, and I know how to get to him." Masaru replied. Rin stiffened and he smiled a bit knowing his usefulness would be essential for her now that she was learning he knew what she was doing. Masaru smiled a bit; he still wasn't thrilled what this would entail but he had little doubt that it would be smart for him to help Rin. He knew that a lot about what was to come and he had learned that Rin was important to much of what was to come. However he was not thrilled about helping Rin because that would mean he'd have to go back to panther territory; not a thrilling thought for a kitsune like himself who had spent a decade irritating all of the enemies of Mikadzuki.

"Why would you wish to help me?" Rin asked skeptically.

"Because," he smiled then as he looked at those dark eyes which had once saved him. "Mikadzuki is my lady and mistress who mated the greatest Inu no Taisho to ever live and lead the yōkai race; ordered me to aid you in saving Sesshomaru-sama."

"And how is Mikadzuki involved with my quest?" Rin questioned.

"Because, Mikadzuki knows all," he replied. Though that was probably not a complete truth. However Mikadzuki knew plenty in this lifetime and many other life times. She was an odd one that Mikadzuki and she was determined, loyal, and fierce.

* * *

"Then why isn't your mistress here?" Rin asked curiously as she held Bakusaiga and stroked Sesshomaru's hair.

"Because, Mikadzuki could not travel again." Masaru stated. "Rin, I know what you plan, I know what you're going to do and I know that without help you will not succeed without help. I am here to help because Mikadzuki told me what you would do and she told me you would need help."

"Alright so if I was going after the Panther King why would I need you?" Rin asked him thinking quickly. She hadn't ever mentioned that she would be going after the Panther King and she hadn't told anyone what her goal would be after she had discussed a strategy with Midoriko. The priestess had told her what she would need to do if she were save Sesshomaru from the poisons of Magatsuhi.

"That is for you to decide but even you are not matched for the entire clan."

"Rin?"

"Yes my lord?" Rin looked down to the pup sleeping on her lap.

"Who's Mikadzuki and why do you want to attack the Panther King?" Sesshomaru asked her sleepily. Rin just frowned a bit as she sat there pondering this because she would not tell him his fate to come. It was in her experience that when people knew their fates, the more they knew about their fates the harder they would try to avoid it and the more likely they were to suffer as they sealed their fate. Rin would never wish for her lord to suffer because he was only a pup after all and he would only know pain if she told him of what was to come.

"I do not know Mikadzuki. However my entire reason for being here was to save my lord, and to do that I would have to collect something from the Panther King." Rin decided that was vague enough that he wouldn't understand what she meant but he would also understand that she had a purpose.

"What about me?" Sesshomaru asked waking.

"What about you?" Rin asked as she smiled while tucking his silver hair behind his elfin ear.

"Why would you let me stay with you?" Rin blinked at his question.

"Because, you will always let me be with you and I will always let you be with me," Rin mused as she hugged him then looked kitsune who was watching her with serious eyes.

"So, how may I be of service to you Rin?" Masaru asked with a slight bow of his silver head.

"We must get to tengu territory and then I will decide what I must do, it is imperative that I get you to safety, Sesshomaru." Rin said firmly then she looked down at the scared amber eyes of her lord, as a child she had never seen his fear but right know she saw his fear as he watched her. "And then I will go about my task."

"What are you doing Rin?" Sesshomaru asked with fear, Rin smiled a bit.

"I am going to save my lord, because I love him and to do that I'm going to do something crazy," Rin said seriously. Oh yes it would be crazy because she was going to be completing this task Midoriko had claimed would save the pup before her.

"You're not going to die Rin!?" Sesshomaru screamed, Michio cracked his eyes open then.

"Who died?" Michio yawned.

"No one!" Rin snapped. "I'm not dying Sesshomaru, I would never die on you but I do have something I have to do."

"Mikadzuki said you would say that," Masaru mused. Rin glared at him.

"We'll figure this out later, for now everyone rest," Rin ordered. Michio was out like a light and Sesshomaru hugged her so tightly that she was certain he would break her bones. She looked wearily at the kitsune who smiled foxishly.

"Rest human, you need it far more than I," he assured her and as if on cue Rin fell asleep wondering who this Mikadzuki was.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	87. Mysteries of You: Chapter 27

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ephemeral:** _Short Lived; lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace…_

* * *

**Chapter 27**

They finally stumbled onto tengu territory and Rin could say with the utmost honesty that she had never been so relieved in her life as in that moment when she walked into the mysterious mountains. It was still a pain in the ass to trying to get here but now that they were here and Masaru was knocking on some temple gates Rin had to admit she had never been so relieved in her life. Though Michio looked nervous about being here, not that she could blame him for being nervous. He was a monk, with spiritual power, and could probably feel all of the tengu here and it would be unnerving for humans raised to think of yōkai as their enemies.

"Just a warning they will not be thrilled about you Rin," Masaru informed her just before the door was pulled back. Rin just nodded. She knew tengu were not exactly fond of women and she had even been attacked by a few when Sesshomaru and she had traveled through the mountains when she had been a child.

"Masaru," a tengu greeted the kitsune.

"Hello Akio," Masaru greeted as he lead her, Sesshomaru and Michio into the compound. She felt the glares on her and Michio but she also felt their respect for Sesshomaru. No doubt they'd know the Inu no Taisho heir and pup.

"What are they doing with you?" Akio demanded as he stood before them. Rin didn't feel annoyed with his tone because she was the invader here. That was the sad truth about the matter and she would be respectful as she stood there letting Sesshomaru hold her hand.

"You remember the mistress I spoke of, Mikadzuki, well this is the Rin and Sesshomaru she sent me to find," Masaru explained and the tengu's eyes widened as he looked her and Sesshomaru over. Rin just squared her shoulders and held her head high and sensed Sesshomaru copying her actions, she wouldn't submit to a tengu of all yōkai because she was Sesshomaru's mate. No one who was truly Sesshomaru's would ever bow to anyone.

"So this is the walking ghost," the tengu mused as he walked towards her. Rin lifted her brows in irritation at that term. It was a new one.

"Yep, and she's on a mission which you might be interested in joining." Masaru stated, Rin shot him a curious look and he grinned deviously.

"Rin's going to be going toe to toe with the moths, and as I recall you have a score to settle with them." There was something going on here that she didn't know about but apparently it was important because the tengu now eyed her with her a new interest.

"What will she do about the moths?"

"Well I believe I told you what was to come from the lips of the only known soothsayer, Mikadzuki," Masaru murmured and the dark tengu smiled at her then. Rin felt a chill race down her spine as she stood there. "And Mikadzuki is never wrong so, are you willing to help us or not?"

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Villiage...**_

Sesshomaru grumbled a bit as he sat there alone, finally, and felt his head fall back in exasperation. Everyone was demanding something from him and he didn't want to deal with any of this at all. When he had been a pup he had been dragged headlong into a war, it had been a dangerous. About forty years ago he had been involved with another war, and then there had been the Naraku thing to deal with but he didn't know if that counted as a war. Not that it mattered as he sat here trying to figure out what to do about this matter.

He didn't really wish to be involved with another war.

His head snapped up when he scented a long forgotten scent because the last he had seen the owner of this scent had been five centuries ago. Turning slowly he was greeted by a creature he had long since forgotten because he had hated him the first time around. The silver creature gave him a smile as his six tails swished around him.

"Sesshomaru-sama," the yōkai greeted him.

"Masaru," he replied coldly. "What are you doing here?"

"Mikadzuki sent me again, and I am forever loyal to my mistress," Masaru replied as his tails swished in the air around him. Sesshomaru frowned.

"And when will I have the privilege of meeting this Mikadzuki who keeps sending you?" Sesshomaru asked coldly.

"All in good time, but she sends her regards and told me to tell you that it is time for you to join the fight, it is the only way you and Rin will ever be together again."

"And how would Mikadzuki know this?" Sesshomaru asked coldly remembering the name from his puphood, it was as if Mikadzuki only ever interfered with his life when it was about wars and Rin.

"She doesn't but my mistress is never, nor ever has been wrong about what your future and Rin's future holds so what do you think? Will you just aid Mikadzuki's will and reunite with Rin?"

* * *

_**273 Years Into the Past...**_

"They're beautiful, InuTaisho," Izayoi admitted as she looked at the swords he was showing her that night. Honestly though she wouldn't know if they were good or not, but the one that looked rusty didn't look like a good weapon in her mind. Perhaps it was just for show, after all he had that huge one on his back.

"Thank you and they will be a wonderful asset one day soon," he mused as he sat beside her.

"InuTaisho, I have some news," Izayoi looked up at him then as her heart slammed in her ribs.

"What?"

"Takemaru wants to marry me within the next two summers. Apparently he's going to war with another clan and after that he'll marry me."

"Oh," InuTaisho looked confused.

"I don't want to marry him, will you take me with you!?" she pleaded.

"Huh!?"

* * *

**Sorry the last few days have been a little rough and I haven't had much free time. **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	88. Mysteries of You: Chapter 28

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ephemeral:** _Short Lived; lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace…_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

Rin stood alone in the temple staring out at the snowy mountains clutching the black pearl and the item she had stolen from her lord in his future. Turning she looked over her shoulder at the sound of an approaching set of footsteps, she blinked when Akio appeared from the shadows with his black hair, black wings and silver eyes looking her over.

"You are a very strange human, a walking ghost. I've never seen such a phenomenon with any living creature," he informed her. Rin smiled a bit as she held her pearl tightly.

"I was never a notmal human, my lord saw to it that I was raised like a yōkai," Rin replied. "I am a humble servant of the mightiest Inu no Taisho."

"Ah, that explains the inuyōkai manners, and arrogance." Akio mused. Rn smiled then turned back to stare at the white world around her. "I trust the kitsune, his mistress Mikadzuki has yet to be wrong so there is no reason to disbelieve him and if you are who he claims then you are destined for greatness."

"I'm only here to save my lord," Rin replied tartly. She sighed then looked to the tengu who was silently standing beside her then. "How would one steal a claw from the Panther King?"

"Why?" Akio blinked in shock at her question. Rin smiled then.

"Because I am here for a way to save my lord and according to my advisor I would need three things to save my lord, the first I have, the second and third I have yet to obtain. I mam only here for a way to obtain the second before I figure out how to get back to where I come from to take the third. I need a claw from the Panther King and I will obtain that with or without your help." Rin was still trying to figure out how she would be obtaining what she needed but she at least had the time to think that through at the moment. Perhaps it was crazy but she didn't want to drag her lord along with her while he was a pup, it would be the safest thing for a pup to stay where they were safe.

Then again she had rarely been safe when she had been a child because she had always followed her lord no matter where he was going. It was what had led her into some of her most dangerous situations. However her lord would always come for her so she, in turn, would always go after him. She stared out at the snow when she saw a large puppy inu daiyōkai running after a kitsune who looked terrified. Her lips turned into a smile as she watched them.

"There is one way to steal the claws of a panther it wouldn't be easy, but I will be honored to help Mikadzuki's friend." Rin looked to the tengu.

"I do not know Mikadzuki, Masaru claims her to be his mistress," Rin replied and the tengu smiled a bit.

"Yes, he also has told us that she is a great soothsayer," Akio replied.

"Well I don't know Mikadzuki but are you certain you wish to help me?" Rin asked as she watched her lord chase the kitsune while snapping his jaws at the elusive silver fox who evaded him. It was a sight which had her heart melting.

"Rin," she looked past Akio to Michio who was standing at the enterence of the temple.

"Yes?" Rin stood up straighter; a habit of respect she had had engrained into herself when she had been a child. It had been something she had taught herself when she had lived with Inuyasha's group because she needed to be more respectful the holy men and women like Miroku, Kagome, and Kaede. She had learned from her lord to have respect for those better than you but to also be respectful of those around you; granted Sesshomaru sucked at it but she didn't.

"What are you thinking about? I know you're planning something?" Michio stated as he walked to stand with her and Akio. Rin looked back to where her lord chased after the kitsune.

"I'm deciding what I'm going to do," Rin stated coldly as she stared at the white, the clean world, the beauty of winter and she felt the cold seeping into her bones in a comforting way which reminded her she wasn't lost or helpless. She had help, she had a purpose and all she had to do was reach out for both to be true.

"Rin, I'm willing to help you, but I'd like to know what you're planning before I run into my death." Michio said absently to her.

"Don't worry Michio, I have a feeling that you're not going to die because you're going to help me, I just am trying to figure out what I'm going to do at this moment. It's important that I complete my mission, but I'm not going to kill anyone else on my mission," Rin stated coldly.

"You know you're irritating when you're cocky but I guess that's why I'm going to trust you Rin. Now who's your lord and why are you trying to save him? And more importantly where are you from because I do not think you are from around here." Michio demanded to her.

"Where I'm from is complicated, I'm from here. When I'm from is the really interesting," Rin stated with a smile. "And it's because of when I'm from that I know you're not going to die so just trust me. Besides, Miroku is an example of your strength so I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"You are a strange creature alright walking ghost, but I will be pleased to aid you with this human monk." Akio stated.

"Alright then, how do I steal the Panther King's Icy Claw?" Rin demanded again.

"Ah, so you are after the Panther King's ultimate weapon, that is easier to obtain that his claws. The weapon was entrusted to one of his four trustees, a young femal yōkai named Toran, she has the King's Icy Claw. All you need is to steal it from her, and that is a simple matter because she and her siblings have followed you into our territory," Akio informed her. Rin just blinked then she felt a devious smile pull her lips upwards.

"Alright, that's a starting point," Rin decided. "Where is Toran?"

* * *

**I was so pleased with myself this morning, I finally wrote five pages of my original work that wasn't complete and total garbage! So happy! About frickin' time! Jeez getting into the swing of things is harder than I thought, damn you George for devouring everything! Anyways, feeling happier with myself at the moment so I'll update a few other things today!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	89. Mysteries of You: Chapter 29

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ephemeral:** _Short Lived; lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace…_

* * *

**Chapter 29**

Sesshomaru slipped around the corner of the temple holding his practice sword. He stifled excitement in the hunt for Rin. Yes, the pup knew she was his mate, and it was thrilling because Rin was the perfect opponent for him! And as he slipped through the halls hunting up Rin, she would be around here and be the perfect prey for him to practice on. Remaining calm and indifferent he continued silently walking through the halls to where he scented Rin's translucent scent.

Silently he slipped up a pillar, she was in the chamber beside this room. He fought off his smile as he crept over his prey. She was talking with the kitsune, the tengu, and the monk. Perfect! Sesshomaru crept over his mate, he saw the black hair of Rin and decided now was the perfect time. He came crashing down on the group. Rin stepped out of his path though and he spun around lashing the bamboo sword at her, she leapt out of his path to land nimbly behind him then caught his wrist before he could continue his attack.

"What are you doing, my lord?" Rin asked him. He frowned as she released his wrist and knelt down to his level. Her dark eyes were curious and he just wanted to continue challenging her but he refrained from continuing the attack.

"Practicing," he replied coldly.

"Ah, well right now I am in a discussion but when I'm finished I'm certain that you and I shall have time to practice your combat, but first I must finish this discussion," Rin said softly. He frowned, she smiled a bit then rubbed his head.

"Fine," Sesshomaru grumbled.

"Would you like to join the conversation?" Rin asked.

Sesshomaru looked at the other's there, he had never been permitted to be involved with 'an adult' conversation and from the look of the other three men there. They didn't seem against him being here like Myoga, or Tōtōsai, or one of his father's other advisors. Instead these three looked fine with him joining them.

"Can I?" Sesshomaru tilted his head to the side watching Rin carefully, she smiled broadly then as she picked him up. He wrapped his arms around her as his mokomoko around her waist.

"Yes, you are to be the next Inu no Taisho, it's only proper for you to be involved with conversations involving you," Rin stated then turned back to the conversation.

"So we should take the group at the pass?" Rin resumed her conversation with the other men.

"Take who?" Sesshomaru whispered in her ear.

"The panther yōkai who have been following us are coming after us," she replied softly. He just blinked in response then looked at the other three males all staring at his mate. He frowned, at them but listened as they began their planning. He was shocked at how Rin made those three cooperative, he just blinked as she took control of the conversation and they began their planning of attack.

He decided right then he would be a leader like Rin, he would be better than his father and he would be a far better Inu no Taisho. Sesshomaru would be an Inu no Taisho who would make Rin proud, and he sat there listening and learning from her so he too could be as great of a leader as she.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Sesshomaru felt his eye twitching as he sat there listening to every yōkai leader bickering. Within the last week all of the yōkai clan leaders had come. And with them came parts of his past he had rather not remember because they made him think of her. Rin, whether she was from his past or the one he had raised she was always a wild but unlike her, he did not have the patience for this nonsense.

But at this moment he was desperately praying for her patience, he was also hoping she would appear in the well so he did not need to deal with this. But she wasn't at the bottom of the well, he frowned a bit as he scented the arrival of the ookami who he still loathed, he also scented several other yōkai clan heads coming. The annoying ookami came running over to him.

"Sesshomaru," he glared over his shoulder when he saw Koga.

"Hn," he replied because he did have to acknowledge those about to follow him. That was what Rin had taught him, a long time ago. However, he was not required to be polite, and he had never, in his entire life been polite to anyone and he was not about to start.

"Sesshomaru-sama," his amber glare turned onto the tengu who appeared before him.

"Akio," he acknowledged because he knew the tengu from his puphood.

"Where is Rin?" Akio asked looking for the Rin he probably knew.

"She is on a mission for Mikadzuki and InuTaisho," everyone glanced over at the new comer. Masaru smiled as he walked over to the growing group of clan heads. Sesshoamru said nothing to this effect as he looked at the well before he walked with the yōkai clan heads.

"Oh, but InuTaisho has long since passed," the newest newcomer said icily. His eyes narrowed on the blue female walking towards them. The others with her had him becoming irritated.

"Sesshomaru, everyone's come!" he glared over his shoulder when Rin's red friend appeared with the annoying human boy who always gawked after Rin.

"Masaru-sama!" the other fox stopped midstride, Sesshomaru lifted a brow at the silver kitsune who had annoyed him since puphood.

"Sama?" Sesshomaru repeated in an icy tone, the fox gave a nervous smile as he paled.

"Among kitsune!" he squeaked and Sesshomaru turned his attention back to the blue female.

"What are you doing here Toran?" Sesshomaru asked in his coldest voice. The blue female purred then.

"For a change we have a common interest and desire nothing more than to aid you." Toran smiled an equally chilling smile.

"And my mistress said all panthers were forever useless, I guess Mikadzuki was mistaken in this matter. Granted she does have a slight predujice against panther yōkai," Masaru grumbled. Sesshomaru shot him a glare. "Just say, Mikadzuki is only human after all and is inclined to make the occasional mistake. Though it is not enough for me to falter in my service to the mighty soothsayer. And sadly she did claim that we would need these cats though she still claims them to be useless."

"And who is Mikadzuki?" everyone turned to the very red hanyō and his blue eyed miko mate.

"That is a question I would like an answer to as well," Sesshomaru admitted and Masaru smirked mischeiviously.

* * *

**I'd say I'm sorry for missing yesterday's updates but the truth is I'm not, I got my hands on a very good book and had a wonderful day yesterday.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	90. Mysteries of You: Chapter 30

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ephemeral:** _Short Lived; lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace…_

* * *

**Chapter 30**

"Who is Mikadzuki?" Inuyasha repeated the question as he stalked towards Sesshomaru and Masaru. Sesshomaru had always wondered about Mikadzuki but it was not a mystery important enough for him to ponder.

"My lady and mistress would prefer to remain in the shadows, out of sight and time, Mikadzuki only sent me with the information that was essential to aiding me in my purpose. Mikadzuki was very insistent that I only reveal what was important. And anything else was not to be revealed." Masaru smirked slightly then.

"Besides the only one I fear besides our fine Inu no Taisho is Mikadzuki and her wrath is not something I will ever willingly encounter again. So, I do not think my lady and mistress' identity is of importance nor is it for public knowledge." Sesshomaru lifted a brow at the anger rolling off of the kitsune. It appeared that the kitsune was attached to Mikadzuki's wishes and did not like being challenged about the matter.

"Hn," Sesshomaru replied before turning to walk back towards Inuyasha's cabin, a thought crossed his mind along with an old memory which had him thinking hard about what he was going to say next. It was always Rin who gave him words of wisdom, it was always Rin who guided him and loved him, and it would always be Rin (whether she be a child or a woman) who he would trust. And at this moment an ancient memory raced through his mind.

"_Sesshomaru-sama! Sesshomaru!"_

"_What do you want?" he snarled turning on his mate, her dark eyes were fierce._

"_It doesn't matter if you want to be a leader or not, you are born a leader and honestly you're a damn good one. But just because you're a leader does not mean you always have to be leader but you had better step up when others need you. Just because you do not believe you are a leader doesn't mean you're not, and either way you're my leader so I'm following you." she stated stubbornly._

"_Rin you are a fool," he growled furiously._

"_Perhaps, but I'm a fool who only serves the true Inu no Taisho. Don't make me lose faith in you my lord," she had walked past him and into the shadows._

If Rin was always fool enough to see him as a leader then he would lead. But after this war he wanted nothing to do with them, he would want to return to his quiet life with A-Un for companionship and Rin. Sesshomaru frowned at the old memory for that had been the first and last time he had ever led in his life, it was also the last of Rin before the child came.

He looked to Masaru who's silver tails swished around him.

"My lord?" Masarua asked, "I follow Rin's lead."

"Then we will discuss the impending war, tomorrow after all the yōkai clans have arrived. Until then, leave me be, I will return in the morning," Sesshomaru stated icily. Then he retreated into the forest. The last time he had been a leader, a true leader it had not been good but he was willing to try it again. Rin's words from his youth replayed in his mind.

"I hope you're right Rin," he muttered to himself because he did not particularly hold faith in his ability to lead others as he lead Rin and himself. But Rin always held faith in him, even when she was only a child with a blindness to his flaws and hatreds, and even when he had been a pup he had known Rin to hold faith in him and his abilities. She was a different and strong and if she had faith in him, after everything they had done together then then he would lead the war charge. Still, he didn't ever want to be a leader again, after this he was done leading and would return to his life of wandering. Mikadzuki be damned, Inu no Taisho to hell, and this war be gone because once this was over he would wait.

The skies were grey he noticed when he looked up at the boom of thunder.

What better way to start a meaningless war than to have it rain? The thought amused him, as he stood in the forest. True he always sought out; purposely sought out the largest and most feared of yōkai for a fight but that was to prove his power, his strength, and his ability as Sesshomaru, it was nothing more than that. The fights were thrills but they were short lived because few every exceeded his skill, even without a weapon. Tenseiga pulsed on his hip, he looked at the fang.

This was the fang he had come to think of as Rin's will, it compelled him to save the child, it opened the gates to hell so he could leap after her, it had saved her and it had brought her to him. When it pulsed he thought of Rin, the girl with the deepest brown eyes, the blackest hair, and a heart so pure that it purified him.

"Alright Tenseiga," he murmured softly then he looked back out at the forest. "I'll fight," he promised. But he was fighting for Rin, and not the yōkai of this world.

* * *

Lips curved into a smile while standing in the new rain falling on them. It wasn't easy to get the mighty Sesshomaru-sama to do anything, she had learned this long ago but it interesting to know that this Mikadzuki had influence on the young Inu no Taisho. At least that woman wasn't here, for that she'd be forever grateful, however she had a strange feeling of déjà vu here. Toran looked up to the storming sky, perhaps it was only her imagination as she remembered the child from when she and her sibling had tried to resurrect their master.

Those happy brown eyes…

It couldn't be! Toran turned her head to look at Sesshomaru-sama again and her eyes widened at the realization of the ancient memories she had loathed because of the humiliation. It just simply wasn't possible! There was no way that that Rin was his Rin! Tornan hurried through the forest in confusion at the memories flooding her mind.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	91. Mysteries of You: Chapter 31

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Command:**_Have Command Of; to exercise a dominating influence over…_

* * *

**Chapter 31**

Rin looked over the plan she had with the tengu, the kitsune and the monk and Sesshomaru piped up with a few questions of his own. To her it was amusing that her lord was so…openly curious and learning, and eager. It was so different from who he was when he grew up that she couldn't fathom how he had grown into who he was. Sesshomaru was so different, but the core of his manners and personality all seemed to be the same. He just wasn't as closed off at this age as he was when he had raised her. Rin kind of liked having him around at this age.

Sesshomaru blushed!

It was so adorable that she wanted to never let him go the first time she had seen him blush. Her Sesshomaru, the one who raised her, never blushed and the one who had made love to her didn't blush either so this was adorable! Rin smiled a bit as she held him in her lap as she leaned over him when he tugged her strand of hair so he could get her attention.

"What?" Rin asked as she looked down at the brilliant gold eyes staring up at her.

"Why am I going with Akio?" he asked curiously. She sighed at the lack of honorifics but it didn't matter what time period she was in, her lord was her lord and he was not the respectful kind unless forced to. However he was also not outright rude with his insults, mostly just arrogant and after being raised by him she knew the difference. When her lord was being rude he just flat out ignored everyone around him or growled when they started irritating him. That much hadn't changed, no matter what time period she traveled to.

"Because, I'm going to be jumping off the cliff to get the weapon away from Toran," Rin explained.

"But I don't like him," Sesshomaru informed her. Rin's head snapped up to look at the tengu who just smiled weakly and she smiled nervously in response.

"He doesn't mean that!" Rin insisted.

"I do," Sesshomaru countered.

"I am not offended, he doesn't look like the type to like anyone," Akio shrugged but smiled wisely. Rin looked at the pup in her arms; that was a very, very accurate description of her lord.

"I don't," Sesshomaru agreed honestly and Masaru, Akio, and Michio laughed heartedly, Rin just felt like palming her face at his honesty. Of all the times in his life to be honest he had to be honest now. Thankfully he would outgrow this but for now she felt like pounding her head against a rock.

"Sesshomaru, we're going to have a talk about when you're honest and when not to be, and when in doubt be silent; offending your allies is not wise," Rin whispered to him sternly. The pup pouted a bit but just stayed quiet.

"Rin is right, offending allies is not always wise, but in this case your honesty is appreciated," Akio mused. Rin frowned in irritation as her lord perked up in her arms.

"Not helping," she hissed through clenched teeth. Everyone again laughed and her lord was acting a bit smug. Her lips frowned but internally she was laughing her ass off.

"Everything will go as planned and according to Mikadzuki nothing should go horribly astray." Masaru mused, she frowned at that. Just who the hell was Mikadzuki1? And why did Masaru have so much faith in Mikadzuki? And how did he know this would work when even she didn't have all that much faith in this plan, however she liked plan B more. Kill the cats, take the ice claw and leave; simpler. But that was plan B because she didn't want to tamper too much with the impending future, it was important that her lord battle these cats when she was a child, it was important for his growth.

"I'm taking a leap of faith that this works," Rin mumbled.

"It'll work Rin, have a little faith," Masaru replied arrogantly and her temper was burning dangerously hot because her mind was running through all of the possible scenarios that could come.

* * *

"They were heading to tengu territory, Master," InuTaisho grunted at the information but stopped at the fleas words.

"'They'?" he looked on his shoulder to Myoga.

"Yes, a human monk and a walking ghost of a human girl." Myoga replied.

"Walking ghost?"

"Yes master, a walking ghost, the girl doesn't smell completely human," Myoga explained. InuTaisho frowned at the information. So two humans had his pup, they would suffer his wrath for that. He would not tolerate his pup being taken by those insects! It would not be tolerated. It was time he taught those humans their place. His pup was not someone they could take without suffering the consequences.

"Where in tengu territory would they appear?" InuTaisho demanded as he looked at his map.

"Akio's temple is nearest from dragon territory," Myoga pointed to the ancient temple and InuTaisho snarled. Then he turned to stalk past InuKimi into the storming snow. He would destroy the humans who had taken his pup and he didn't care what InuKimi wanted. They would be getting his only heir back.

* * *

InuKimi watched as the only male she loved stormed into the snow. She frowned as she bit her knuckle to look back at the map. Something about this didn't strike her as a kidnapping. She had scented feline yōkai in Sesshomaru's quarters, not human. This didn't make sense but as she turned back to the map, tengu territory. Her hands clutched together.

_Please, please, please keep him safe_, she pleaded with all who was holy. _Please don't let him be killed_, she prayed. InuKimi would never ascertain the love of the one inuyōkai she loved but she didn't want her pup to die. Her pup was the only part of InuTaisho that was hers' and being a possessive, greedy creature she didn't want to lose that part of InuTaisho which belonged to her. Sighing InuKimi resumed her vigil in Sesshomaru's quarters and prayed he'd be home soon. She was a mother and only wanted her pup back with her.

Where he belonged.

_Please just keep him safe_, she prayed as she waited with a pit in her stomach.

* * *

**Very Long Time since we heard from InuKimi...  
**

**Anyways, I have a book coming out tomorrow that I've been waiting for for a month so I might miss updates tomorrow...just forewarning you.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	92. Mysteries of You: Chapter 32

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Command: **_Have Command Of; to exercise a dominating influence over…_

* * *

**Chapter 32**

Rin slipped behind her boulder, her eyes trained on the surrounding area as she let all of her senses roam while she tightened her hold on Bakusaiga. All they were doing at this moment was waiting and Akio was with her lord who looked…pouty, as he folded his arms and waited. Rin smirked as she looked for those pesky cats who were supposedly following her.

"Masaru, what are you doing?" Rin hissed when the kitsune appeared beside her.

"Relax, they're here," he jerked his head towards the south where they were coming up from. She smiled slightly as they slipped through the snow then. The kitsune's clawed fingers were glowing with blue fire dancing on them.

"Alright, ready when you are," Rin decided, then they split up. It was simple enough to attack them as she ran from her hiding spot. She launched herself to the large one with Bakusaiga drawn and her temper running hot enough to motivate her but not enough to cloud her mind as she attacked.

* * *

InuTaisho shoved his way through the snow and the mountains, he did not have his son's unusual form of travel. His pup was a very unique and dangerous pup, he had abilities no one had seen in a yōkai for over a millennium, the last anyone had seen half of what his pup could do was with his grandfather, the Greatest Inu no Taisho to have ever lived.

Sesshomaru's abilities were unique and he was a pup of extreme untapped potential. InuTaisho wasn't going to lose this pup for any reason and he would be destroying the humans who harmed his heir because it wouldn't be tolerate by him. He had to keep standards high because he was the Inu no Taisho of this time and no one messed with his pack. And even if the ungrateful brat was causing him to tear through dragon territory, he didn't want to deal with this at this moment. The humans would die and then InuTaisho would throttle his careless pup for getting kidnapped by humans.

* * *

Toran rolled out of the path of the human when that small brat leapt up; light erupted from the pup's fingers and she nearly screamed at the pain from that lashing. The human girl though rushed her and Toran tried to block the attack. There was a fury in the human she hadn't ever encountered but she wasn't surrendering to a human, she was a yōkai and she never surrender to humans. This woman wouldn't best her three times in a row. The girl reach for the icy claw dagger her master had given her and Toran grabbed the dagger to stab the human.

Blades clashed and there was an almost electric spark in the air as she tried to hold firm against the human. There was a roar and she took her eyes off of the human to see a giant white dog coming for her with it's jaws open. She shrieked as she released the dagger; her Master's claw and dove out of the way of those jaws. The human dove the other way and Toran scrambled to her feet to look at the huge dog as large as her master.

* * *

The pup leapt over his human with his fangs bared and snapping at his father, all of his fur was up on end as the tengu, the kitsune, and the monk were behind him but he didn't care about them as all of his inner beast demanded him to protect Rin. It didn't matter that his father was here, or his alpha was demanding he back down, Sesshomaru was not backing down away from his father unless Rin was safe.

His father's jaws snapped a warning to him, but Sesshomaru did not back down as he stood there alert, tense and ready to challenge his father if necessary. Pulling back his lips farther he let his father know he wasn't backing down. Slowly his father shifted into his humanoid form, Sesshomaru followed in turn as the cats scrambled away from the area. Rin's hand landed on his shoulder lightly and he looked up to her as he watched his father from the corner of his eye.

Masaru smirked internally, externally he was trembling with awe and fear. So Mikadzuki was right and now he was standing here in the jaws of the devil. But he refrained from expressing his fears as he stood behind Rin watching the current Inu no Taisho, and had to admit this was also terrifying to him. Why were inuyōkai so scary? Even the annoying pup attached to Rin was scary, and Sesshomaru was only a pup!

"Who are you?"

"Rin," Rin replied icily. She just pulled Sesshomaru behind her and he touched the pup's shoulder to keep him away from lunging for his father's throat. It was obvious that tensions were running high at this moment and he didn't need the pup lunging for his father.

"Sesshomaru, come here," InuTaisho snarled.

"No," the pup snapped as he glared at his father. Michio and Akio stepped behind Rin but in front of the pup.

"Release my heir and maybe I'll let you live," the Inu no Taisho snarled.

"I never took him and it's up to him if he goes with you or not," Rin replied as she stepped aside to reveal the young pup. Masaru didn't let go of the pup's shoulder because he was still tense and growling. The pup was likely to lunge for his father teeth snapping and poison dripping.

"You rotten human took my son and now you're not giving him back, you'll suffer for that!" the InuTaisho growled.

"Touch Rin and I'll disappear!" the pup roared back and grabbed Rin's hand.

Masaru stared at the mate of a powerful, growing daiyōkai, the great daiyōkai and the human who was unusual in her own right. But the tension was so high here that it was suffocating as he watched those three with the monk and tengu beside him. The Inu no Taisho snarled as he took a step forward towards Rin. She pulled Sesshomaru behind her and he saw the icy claw she had in her obi; at least this hadn't been for not. But what now?

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	93. Mysteries of You: Chapter 33

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Command: **_Have Command Of; to exercise a dominating influence over…_

* * *

**Chapter 33**

Rin was less than thrilled about being in a cellar in the inuyōkai palace as she sat there with a fox and a monk for company and her fang just beyond her reach past the bars of her cell. And she was in her own cell, there was no company for her as she sat there with her back pressed against the kitsune and the monk pondering just how they had gotten into this mess. And her conclusion was that this was all the kitsune's fault and his blasted mistress! Rin was going to strangle this Mikadzuki when she met her, until then…

"Rin?" three heads snapped up at the voice.

Carefully Rin got to her feet as she walked forward to look for her lord who sounded a little scared. Not that she blamed him when his father had grabbed him forcefully and nearly broke his arm, if Masaru hadn't grabbed her she'd have attacked InuTaisho for that action against her lord. It wasn't as if her lord hadn't killed for her when she had been a child, he had slaughtered an oni when she had been ten for grabbing her throat and nearly dropping her off of a cliff. And she'd kill InuTaisho for hurting her lord, if the kitsune hadn't been holding her back.

"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered as she gripped the bars. A silver head poked around the corner then, glowing suns stared owlishly and then brightened as he hurried towards her. Rin knelt down to the pup's level with a smile.

"Rin!" he sounded relieved as he came to the bars and grabbed them as he looked around for a way out of her cell. Rin just touched that little hand to bring his attention back to her.

"Bakusaiga's over there, can you bring it to me?" Rin asked softly.

"The thing that nearly electrocuted father?" Sesshomaru asked a little bloodthirstily and gleefully.

"Yes," Rin replied a little uncertain. He ran over to where Bakusaiga had been placed, Masaru and Michio tensed a bit as the pup reached for it. But what no one beside her knew, was that aside from she, Bakusaiga didn't permit anyone else to touch it. One had to think of these fangs as living beings with wills and desires of their own, and Bakusaiga was definitely the most ornery of the ornery fangs. She took the fang from the pup and then Sesshomaru wriggled through the bars after that. Rin went to the corner.

"I want to stay with you," Sesshomaru said childishly.

"Alright," Rin said as she sat lotus style and the pup clambered onto her lap then yanked her arms around him. Rin heard the chuckles and smiled as she hugged her lord to look at the kitsune and the monk.

"Do you love me?" she blinked as she looked down at the pup.

"Of course, forever and always Sesshomaru," she promised and the pup nodded his head as he pressed tightly against her.

"And you're not going to leave me? Father says humans only use yōkai for their own interests and then leave us," Sesshomaru mumbled.

"We're not going anywhere," Michio informed the pup.

"You…like me?" Sesshomaru breathed into the sleeve of her garments.

"Yeah pup, we like you, why do you think we're sitting in this cell?" Masaru said jokingly.

"He has a point Sesshomaru, we're here for you and we all love you," Rin said honestly.

"But you're human, you'll die and leave me and I'll be all alone again," Sesshomaru whispered.

"Never, I'm never going to leave and even if I do leave you or die I'll never leave you. I'm here," Rin whispered repeating a long lost memory from her mother. As she pressed her fingers to her lord's heart. "I sear I'll never leave you because I'll always love you." Gold looked up at her and she smiled reassuringly as she brushed his silver hair. "But even if I leave you, you'll find me again. Always," she assured him and he pulled her arms tighter around him.

* * *

Sesshomaru had been terrified, he had screamed for Rin as his father dragged him away from Rin. He had been shocked when Rin, Masaru, and Michio had been taken as prisoners by his father being bond by some of his father's unique yōkai abilities. But it was after they had returned to the palace and Rin along with Masaru and Michio had been dragged away to the prisons.

He had panicked but his father had dragged him into the library to yell at him. Sesshomaru had been trembling internally thinking the worst had happened to Rin. His father was called away by Myoga, but before he left the room he tossed the dagger Rin had taken off of the blue cat yōkai trying to kill him onto the table. Sesshomaru had snatched it up before running through his home looking for Rin. The claw had shrank in his hands as he ran through the palace looking for his Rin.

He had found her, to his relief in the cellar in the prison cells, and before he knew it he had grabbed Bakusaiga then wiggled through the bars of the cell and wrapped Rin's arms around him furiously trying to calm his trembling. And she had reassured him as she held him tightly that she loved him and it calmed his nerves.

Now he pulled out his small hand as Rin held him tightly against her, she pressed her lips against his head.

"This is what you were after?" Sesshomaru whispered as he uncurled his fingers to reveal a claw as large as his hand was revealed. Rin's eyes widened as he held the law out for her.

"You grabbed it!?" she exclaimed. He nodded his head and he found himself into a strangling hug. He liked it! And Rin kissed his head in happiness which had him blushing.

"Told you to trust Mikadzuki," Masaru said snidely.

"Watch it kitsune I'll kick your ass still, and it wasn't your Mikadzuki to get us out of this mess, however I'll be the one to get us out of these cells. And it's all thanks to my lord!" Rin countered happily. Sesshomaru blushed some more and hid his face in her sleeves. At least he could be of use to Rin, and he liked being called a lord.

* * *

**To Guest's question from the previous chapter, I try to update this daily, at various times of my day. I'll be back tomorrow folks with more updates; several because tomorrow's my day off! Until then...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	94. Mysteries of You: Chapter 34

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Command: **_Have Command Of; to exercise a dominating influence over…_

* * *

**Chapter 34**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Sesshomaru was very, very annoyed with this as he walked with Inuyasha (the inuyōkai appointed beta of his pack), Miroku, Masaru, and Kohaku who made up his diplomatic team. So they were sunk, war was inevitable with them as his diplomatic team to deal with the humans. It also didn't help that the yōkai clans had gathered in Edo with Kagome keeping them in check, not that it was helping but there was also that annoying thunder yōkai helping out with keeping clan heads in check.

He'd have been better off if they had just let him come here with A-Un but he had a feeling that this wasn't going to work with these idiots with him. It was because Inuyasha was hotheaded, Miroku was a lecher, Masaru, was well…he was a blasted kitsune, and Kohaku was a younger, more annoying version of Miroku. He didn't want to do this, and he really didn't want to meet these humans with this party of diplomats and generals but here he was walking the fields.

Sesshomaru kept his hands carefully concealed in his sleeves as he approached the human party. There were twenty of them, Sesshomaru fought off his smirk because twenty humans would never be enough if you asked him. And that wasn't about to change. Sesshomaru had been known to slaughter entire armies of humans, did they really think that he was going to be hurt that easily.

"Sesshomaru-sama perhaps this is not a good idea," he lifted a brow at the monk.

"And perhaps it is time you took a lesson from your anscestor and follow a yōkai's lead," Masaru snarled softly Sesshomaru didn't say anything as he stood there before the humans now. If Masaru's mistress; Mikadzuki; was correct then war was inevitable but he had a plan for if he was to go into war. Fighting was something he excelled at but there was a plan in play either way. Sesshomaru stopped a ways away from the human party.

"Stay," Sesshomaru snapped at his group before walking forward to the center of the field. A single human broke to the center of the field. A single human broke away from the human party to walk to him. Sesshomaru waited silently for the human to state his purpose but didn't worry about it as he waited. Patience was something he possess when he desired to be patient.

* * *

_**About 500 Years In The Past...**_

Sesshomaru woke up when he heard stomping feet coming to the cellar and he leapt over Rin's shoulder to slip behind her so as to rouse that fox, and the monk. It was obvious that it was his father coming, he didn't want them to be asleep if his father was going to attack. Rin was up, he snatched up her black pearl necklace which had the claw there now. His eyes looked at Rin and Rin didn't say anything as she stood there.

Her hand wrapped around Bakusaiga and he stepped behind her as he watched the light that came into the cellar. He perked up when the scent hit him and he watched in suspicion as his mother appeared in the cellar with the cells. It was kind of odd seeing his mother here in the prison before his Rin and Rin didn't react at all. Instead his Rin looked awed at the sight of his mother.

"InuKimi-sama," Rin bowed her head slightly and his mother lifted a brow at her.

"You're my Sesshomaru's beloved," InuKimi stated matter-of-factly. Sesshomaru looked at Rin, but he was shocked when she tossed her hair of her shoulder then she moved her collar to reveal the mark that was his. Sesshomaru looked over at the monk and the kitsune. They had different reactions but he didn't even care though as he looked back up at Rin. He tugged her hand then.

"I was marked as a child, raised as a yōkai pup, and given a mission to save my lord and love," Rin answered his mother. InuKimi lifted a brow then.

"You are a soothsayer, InuTaisho has need for one and if you have question just say he'll be victorious." InuKimi supplied.

"And those idiots?" Rin asked, it was as if his mother and Rin were speaking something he didn't understand or know as he looked at Rin.

"The kitsune already said he's serving his mistress and the monk is your escort," his mother stated.

"Mikadzuki-sama would be honored that you remember her," Masaru replied.

"I do not know this Mikadzuki-sama," his mother snapped irritably. Her tone was cold as ice and her eyes landed on her.

"Why help us?" Rin asked icily.

"Because, my pup does not need to lose that which he is bonded to, but if you hurt him in any way I will destroy you, human." His mother growled out in a tone which had him snarling at his mother. Gold and amber glared at one another and Sesshomaru looked to Rin for help and guidance.

* * *

Rin just stood there keeping reign on her temper as she stood there with her lord holding her hand and staring at her with confusion and fear for her. But Rin didn't feel fear at this moment, it was as if she were a child again and meeting her lord's mother. There was only respect and awe in her as she stood there staring at the silver woman.

"I understand milady," Rin bowed her head then as she looked up to him with a smile. "It's alright, Sesshomaru."

"But!" he started.

"No, this is exactly as Masaru said it would be," Rin said looking at the kitsune who looked back at her with those amber-green eyes. "And I trust him, so it will be alright," Rin stated looking at the fox and internally hoping that he wasn't misleading her because that was known to happen to her. However she was trusting her mission and purpose for existing and that meant trusting the kitsune.

* * *

**Alrighty, last update of my night I'll be back with other updates later.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	95. Mysteries of You: Chapter 35

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Command:** _Have Command Of; to exercise a dominating influence over…_

* * *

**Chapter 35**

"What's the mark?" Michio asked once they were escorted to the quarters that InuKimi had designated as theirs. Rin had worried about InuTaisho but she was told not to worry about him because InuKimi had decided that she would handle him.

"It's a mating mark," Masaru said as he walked past them into the quarters. Rin glared at the kitsune as she walked to a futon.

"A mating mark?" Michio looked at her.

"Yes," Rin said then looked at the monk who had taken the futon beside her. "It's a yōkai marking binding a pair together like human marriage but more binding."

"What's that mean?" Michio asked as the pup strutted up to her then plopped down into her lap, Rin smiled as her lord grabbed her arms and wrapped them around him.

"It means that there's a mental link between us, I feel what he feels and he feels what I feel." Rin said for that was as simply as she could explain it because it was so much more than that. But unless one was mated with a yōkai then one could not understand the depth or meaning or true value of the bond between a mated pair. She smiled at her lord as he yawned largely and then she looked at the monk. "The simplest I can put it is it's fated who a yōkai mates, and I've been bonded to mine since I was a child."

"But he's a child," Michio jabbed a finger at her lord who was falling asleep in her arms.

"Yes, now, and no there is nothing intimate about our relationship in this time, I'm not from this time," Rin said icily.

"What?"

"It's complicated but all you need to know is I'm a foreigner here though I am from here from a different time period." Rin stated honestly as she stroked the sleeping pup's hair.

"Alright, this just sounds complicated, but I'll trust you in this," Michio decided.

"It's not like Rin could've helped being mated with Sesshomaru, according to Mikadzuki it was always meant to be and that Rin would be eight when she was marked," Rin glared threateningly at the kitsune.

"But she's not eight!" Michio snapped.

"No, I'm not, I'm sixteen or seventeen years of age, but I will be eight when I am marked," Rin stated coldly. "Just trust me it is complicated."

"Alright, good night Rin," Michio decided and then stretched out on his futon to sleep. The kitsune was feigning sleep and Rin sighed as she looked at the sleeping pup then smiled before stretching out on the futon. Her lord curled tightly against her as he slept and she smiled at her heat monster before sleeping soundly for the night.

* * *

**_Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village..._  
**

"The Mighty Sesshomaru-sama!" he lifted a brow at the insolent three human males who walked forward to him. It would only take a flick of his wrist and he would be able to slaughter them before they reached him. But he wouldn't because he knew that it was of some importance that these humans live, according to Masaru's mistress it was important. Though Sesshomaru wasn't all that thrilled about letting these rude humans go.

"Hn." He replied once they were in front of him grinning like idiots and as if they had already won this war. Sesshomaru didn't like their attitude. Then again they were ignorant humans and didn't know what he was truly capable of. The notion had him fighting off a smirk because he didn't need Inuyasha and Masaru getting the wrong notion about his intentions. But it wouldn't do if these pathetic insects kept underestimating him.

"What did you want because it was your party which called this meeting?" the leader of the trio demanded as he toyed with his blade. Sesshomaru didn't even hide his disgust at these insects.

"We have terms of a treaty to discuss with you half-wits if you should be interested or we will fight this war of yours and decimate you insects," Sesshomaru stated blandly. Honestly it didn't matter because if they accepted the treaty or if they fought the war the results would be the same, of this he was confident. Besides that there was the matter of Rin still missing and his concerns being…elsewhere. But this pointless human war was becoming somewhat of an irritation of him. But he trusted the word of Masaru because Inuyasha's future mate. Kagome's coming from the future was a major help to him and the yōkai going into this war. However it also posed a dilemma for him because that meant there was a fate in motion that couldn't be fought. That wasn't something that thrilled him as he stood on this field with three human insects who were claimed to be very important to human history.

"Ha! A treaty offered to us by humans!" the leader laughed as he stood there then he grinned maliciously. Sesshomaru did not say anything as he stood there indifferent to this human's antics and blatant disrespect. "You see, Master Ungai there, has had dealings with you in the past, Sesshomaru-sama, and he says that you are absolutely untrustworthy and will attack us at will and on a whim. Besides, you are a yōkai and a treaty with yōkai isn't worth spit."

"Ungai? You say that name as if I have met him in the past," Sesshomaru stated icily not remembing meeting any Ungai in the past century. The last one he had met he had been a pup and that one had been a real bastard.

"He says that you bewitched a human girl then stole her," the human said smugly then it clicked. The monk who had tried to forcibly take his Rin.

"I never bewitched the human," Sesshomaru stated firmly. If anything Rin had bewitched him, every Rin he ever met bewitched, entranced, enchanted, ensnared and loved him and it wasn't likely to change if you asked him. But this wasn't something he would be divuldging to these idiotic humans. "Do you accept the treaty or shall it be war?"

"We will not surrender nor will we take your treaty. I intend to cleanse these lands of yōkai blood perminantly. You kind will be eradicated from my home!" the human stated frimly.

"I thought you would say that," Sesshomaru admitted then he turned to walk away.

"You dare to turn your back on me!" the man roared, Sesshomaru's elfin ear twitched when he heard metal being drawn and he turned to react, light sliding from within his veins and through his claws to slice through the air.

* * *

**Sorry about the last few days, had a few problems in my family and then just got busy and now I'm back to having time to kill so I'll be back to update more often. And just so you guys know my family and dogs always come first, they're far more important than my writing. However, I will admit I've been on a hot streak of writing for my original works! So happy and it hasn't been garbage so I'm most pleased with this! =)  
**

**I have a few other updates for tonight!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	96. Mysteries of You: Chapter 36

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Instigate**_**:**_ _To Goad or Urge Forward…_

* * *

**Chapter 36**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Light sliced past the human's cheek into the chest of his companion, a mere flick of Sesshomaru's back to slice the back of the leader's legs sending the human crashing into the earth. The two dead humans behind him had horrified expressions as the poison from his attack seeped into the bodies blackening them as they liquefied. Sesshomaru grabbed the leader by the throat and lifted him into air then.

"Let me go! Let me go!" the man screamed as he clawed at Sesshomaru's wrist. Sesshomaru's indifferent expression never faulted as the man flayed in the air.

"I am the Inu no Taisho, I slayed the war god known as Kyōra, slayer of the daiyōkai Shishinki, executioner of the yōkai Naraku, killer of the Panther King, wielder of the Tensegia and sire of the Bakasuiga. I am the Aristocratic Assassin, I am Sesshomaru-sama you insect and you will use the proper respect I have earned or Kami help you, fate or no fate I will destroy you. Is that understood, human?" he snarled out in disgust.

His right hand's claws dripped with poison as he glared at this disgusting insect. The insult had come when this human had thought to attack him with his back turned, not like they'd have done any real damage but still, the insult of it had his blood boiling as he stood there was a purpling human clawing at his writst.

"Is this understood human?" he demanded sharper. The human nodded as best he could and Sesshomaru dropped the man. "Never attack when your opponent's back is turned there is no honor in that," he snarled as he walked away from the gasping human.

"You monster," he heard behind him from the voice he recognized as the monk who had tried to take Rin from him. A snarl played at his lips but he never turned back as he walked through his party and walked back to Edo where the well was. The only thing in this war which mattered was that that well came through this war in one piece.

"What the hell was that Sesshomaru!?" Inuyasha hissed at him as they walked through the forest.

"I don't know, I thought Sesshomaru was right in defending himself, it would've been a great insult if he were injured by a human," Kohaku commented to which he lifted his brow threateningly at the taijiya.

"Kohaku find Jaken, I have a message to send," Sesshomaru snapped at the human. The boy scrambled ahead of them then. He waited until Kohaku was out of range before he turned to Miroku and Inuyasha.

"Leave, take your packs and leave," Sesshomaru ordered only for the two males to gape at him.

"We ain't leavin' and I don't care what you say!" Inuyasha roared at him but he saw the gleam in the violet eyes of the monk.

"My mother has a sanctuary you can use in the mountains and live your life free of this war." Sesshomaru was now targeting the monk because he knew that man was the rational one between the two males here. "Take the pups and hide there."

"Wait? What?" Inuyasha blinked and Sesshomaru looked at his brother.

"He's worried about the kids Inuyasha, he wants them out of here. I don't blame him, I was worrying about that myself," Miroku admitted as he stood there looking at the ground contemplating this. Sesshomaru didn't care about his brother or Miroku but since he had taken in Rin he had learned what horrors war held on pups, human and yōkai alike. He didn't really want any of the pups in the Edo village to become like Rin, alone, shunned, and abused. The thought ripped him up inside since he knew these pups, they knew and loved Rin and she would never forgive him if he were to let them be murdered.

"Oh, oh! That's not a bad idea!" Inuyasha looked as if this were just dawning on him but Sesshomaru didn't say anything about his brother being an idiot though at this moment that's what he was thinking about the hanyō.

"Get the pups out of Edo and the women," Sesshomaru stated icily then he walked towards the village Inuyasha and Miroku raced ahead of them to hopefully grab their pups and run. Sesshomaru looked over at Masaru who merely lashed his tails as they walked in silence with Shippo also.

"I'm going to help Inuyasha and Miroku." Shippo decided then ran ahead. Sesshomaru still didn't say anything but he was relieved that the kitsune was gone so he could talk to Mikadzuki's mouth piece. He lifted a brow at his silver companion who said nothing as they walked for a long time in silence. It however agitated the kitsune, and the fox couldn't stay silent.

* * *

_**500 Years in the Past... **_

InuTaisho stormed into his cellar where the prisoners responsible for stealing his pup away from him only to find empty cells. He snarled then he scented the air as he turned to stalk up the stairs to follow the mother of his pup. InuKimi wasn't his mate, but she was the female he fucked the most and at this moment in time he was furious with her as followed that scent. She just stood in her quarters looking defiantly at him with her chin up, shoulders back and her eyes set to coldly assess him.

"Where are they, InuKimi?" he snarled stalking up to her and she didn't say anything as her head tilted back so she could look him in the eye. "That human bitch and her companions, the ones I went through the trouble to capture, where are they InuKimi!?"

"I let her go, she is my guest," InuKimi stated stubbornly and he snarled. "You know, you knew and you wanted to kill her InuTaisho, you should be ashamed of yourself."

"Yes I knew, but no pup of mine is the mate of a human bitch, I will not permit it!" That was the truth because his pup wouldn't be the mate of some weakling. The pup would have a real bitch to be his mate and he would continue to sire the most powerful daiyōkai line of pups the inuyōkai packs and yōkai clans had ever known.

"It is not your choice, and so you know the human monk and the kitsune are under Mikadzuki-sama's protection. Touch them and I will challenge you. Harm the walking spirit girl though, I will end you." she snapped at him before walking past him.

"You think you can?" he snarled at her and she stopped beside his shoulder but he felt the dangerous aura emanating from the female.

"If you threaten that which is bonded to my pup I can and I will end you InuTaisho." And with that InuKimi left him in her quarters standing there alone.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	97. Mysteries of You: Chapter 37

**Mysteries of You... **

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Instigate****_:_** _To Goad or Urge Forward…_

* * *

**Chapter 37**

They had followed the human spirit ghost woman, the inuyōkai pup, the kitsune and the monk stealthily into inuyōkai territory. Toran glared at the inuyōkai compound in frustration. Just because they had gotten the pup out of the compound once did not mean they could do it again. Her blue eyes narrowed on the compound as she hissed in displeasure at this development. But the more important matter wasn't the pup, for her at least and at this moment. At this particular point in time the only thing which mattered to her was getting back her master's Ice Claw before the inuyōkai discovered that they had it and used against her clan. That would not help her and her master would have her head.

However after she got the claw back she was killing the girl and taking the pup.

That was a promise. She thought as she stealthily slipped through snow on the ledge she had found refuge on. Now it was time to return to her siblings, it was time to plan their attack to retrieve what was theirs before the inuyōkai knew about it.

* * *

Rin's eye opened to have a mokomoko draped on her head, and Sesshomaru sprawled comfortably on her back. She didn't know whether to be annoyed with this development or to be amused with how he was sleeping on her as happy as could be. She decided neither because her happy pup was a heat monster as she squirmed out from under the pup. Picking up Bakusaiga Rin tiptoed out of the room and silently made her way through the halls of the compound. Every step she took was with the purpose of being silent, she would be a ghost and slip unnoticed through this compound and towards the general area where food would be. Strangely enough Rin was trusting her stomach and her nose to get her to the kitchens of the inuyōkai compound.

"You are awake early," she stopped to look over her shoulder at the woman who had spoken.

"InuKimi-sama," Rin bowed her head slightly at the woman. Rin knew that bowing her head was a sign of submissiveness but she would be submissive to her lord's mother, and her lord; only them and it was because of her great respect of them.

"Are you searching for something?" the silver female asked her and Rin looked up to thos gold eyes similar to her lord's. In truth though Sesshomaru had his father's eyes and his looks, she had seen that, however he had his mother's personality. It made him to be the most dangerous inu daiyōkai to ever live so she had great respect for his parents; though his father was a lot like Inuyasha.

"Yes milady, I was searching for the kitchens," Rin admitted.

"And you need a katana to do that?" the female mused and Rin smiled.

"My lord said that a young woman should never be unarmed in strange new places. But if you prefer I can carry a dagger rather than my lord's fang," Rin decided.

"No, whatever makes you more comfortable, follow me to the kitchens," InuKimi motioned for Rin to follow her. "You are an unusual human, you seem comfortable around yōkai. As if you were born to be a yōkai."

"I was raised by a daiyōkai, my lord, and I have never liked humans so trusting yōkai is easier for me," Rin admitted and the silver woman nodded in understanding. Though Rin didn't think InuKimi understood but it wasn't important if she did or didn't. Rin understood, and that was all that mattered to her as she walked through the halls towards what was the kitchens.

* * *

_**272 Years from Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...  
**_

InuTaisho liked his new fangs, they were working brilliantly against the dragons in this war. It was nice to have weapons which weren't so draining on him. However this did not matter as he walked through the canyon replaying Rin's exact words in his mind while keeping alert for the attack. He needed to steal the Meidō Zangetsuha which was why he was here. He had to stay focused and not to fail Rin, else he'd be failing his only son. That wasn't something he could do again, not after the first time he had failed Sesshomaru.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Sesshomaru stood at the lake and he snarled a bit as he removed his armor and then opened his robes to look at his mark. The curse, the thing that was killing him slowly as he stood there looking at his reflection.

"So you can be hurt," he didn't acknowledge the voice as he continued examining the black marks. They were receding, slowly and surely. Which was odd to him because for eight years they had been there small, large, killing him; and for the first time ever he saw the black fading against his pale skin. Just what was Rin doing to him?

He had little doubt that she was the one doing this to him because Rin would always do anything for him.

"Stop, don't cover it," he now glared as a clawed hand pulled his robes aside to examine the mark. The blue female was careful not to touch him and he snarled lightly at her as she examined the mark.

"You know, you're lucky. This is a death sentence and it's fading," she informed him.

"Hn," was his response as he pulled away and rearranged his robes then pulled his armor back on. The blue feline just sighed as she perched herself beside him on the low branch of a tree.

"You're really lucky, and now she makes sense," Toran said.

He lifted a brow at the cat and she smiled.

"Tales for different days, after war perhaps. And where is your faithful little human, you know the one who follows you around proclaiming her love for you?" Toran asked with a feline smile about her lips.

"Hn," Sesshomaru answered as he walked away. He didn't know where Rin was but wherever she was he was hoping she was safe. For now though he banished his human from his mind as he walked to the village to see a bewildered Kagome and Sango with all their pups with them.

"Sesshoamru! You can't be serious about us leaving!?" Kagome wailed and he snarled at the woman. What kind of mother wanted her pups in a warzone!?

"You are leaving, now, Inuyasha, Miroku here's the refuge just say I sent you." Sesshomaru ordered and A-Un came beside him as their ride and he nodded to his brother.

"I'll stay with the women, Inuyasha will be back for the fighting," Miroku stated.

"Hn," he grunted and then walked to the well. The war was coming and the fighting wasn't a place he wanted pups or women or distractions to be because that would put his followers in danger.

* * *

**Sorry about yesterday, to make it up there'll be another chapter of this sometime today.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	98. Mysteries of You: Chapter 38

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Instigate**_**:**_ _To Goad or Urge Forward…_

* * *

**Chapter 38**

"Rin!" she looked up only in time to have him smashing into her with the monk and the kitsune, and another inuyōkai chasing them. Rin smashed into the floor as the pup hugged her then he was snarling and Rin just sighed until she had the other two diving behind her and his mother snarling. All she wanted was to eat breakfast, something she had been denying herself the pleasure of as of late because Sesshomaru was practically glued to her.

"You are not permitted to wander my compound and hand over my pup!" she blinked as she sat up with a snarling Sesshomaru hugging her. Rin was looking at one very angry InuTaisho but she did not get to say anything as she watched InuKimi rise to her height which was impressive because she was taller than average human women.

"InuTaisho! Enough!" InuKimi barked coldly stopping the male in his tracks as he snarled while glaring at her.

"Hand the pup over for his training." Rin stood then and let Sesshomaru cling desperately to her hand as the pup slipped behind her to peek around at his father; who's eyes were flickering between red and gold.

"Enough, if my lord should need training then at this moment I will supervise it." Rin looked coldly at the Inu no Taisho who let out a bark of a laugh.

"You? You pathetic human, you're nothing more than a mere insect!" InuTaisho barked, Rin smiled grimly.

"I have been told that, many times but I am willing to aid in the training of Sesshomaru for the time being." Rin said carefully, she had realized that she had slipped in addressing the pup as her lord but she hoped no one noticed her wording. Besides the Sesshomaru she was used to was much older than this one and even a pup she had a feeling he was much older than she. The pup tugged her hand and she looked down at those large nervous gold eyes.

"But I don't wanna train," the pup whispered to her. Sighing Rin sunk to her knees and tucked a stray strand of silver hair behind his elfin ear.

"Remember this, just because you do not desire to do something does not mean you don't have to do it, you should always challenge and push yourself. Who knows? Perhaps one day you'll be the greatest inu daiyōkai to ever live," Rin said softly. The pup looked so solemnly as he pondered her words before he reluctantly nodded. Rin turned to look up at his father who was now gaping at her as she stood.

"For the time being, if it is not an inconvience I would like to train Sesshomaru, with the aid of Masaru and Michio." Rin looked at the older inuyōkai but he didn't seem to process what had just happened.  
"Thank you, come along boys, we'll begin the training before the Inu no Taisho comes to his senses."

"Right away," the kitsune agreed. Rin bowed to InuKimi slightly then she picked up Sesshomaru as she walked out of the room and sighed about missing half of her breakfast. She was still so hungry…! To work, her mind barked, she would teach Sesshomaru to be Sesshomaru! It was about damn time, still, her stomach yearned for more of that wonderful breakfast.

"Rin are you certain about this, I'm not certain what good I'll be in this matter," Michio hissed as they walked through the compound.

"Nonsense, you'll be the most help because Kami knows I can't handle two daiyōkai on my own," Rin said honestly and the monk laughed as they walked with an irate looking fox and an amused pup. It was going to be fun to do this, training Sesshomaru. Her lips curled into a smile as she walked with them through the compound; revenge was forever bittersweet… She was about to avenge all of his unjust training sessions and ridiculous hours for his training, oh this was going to be fun! Rin was going to enjoy this, and she was going to remind him to always be disciplined and she was going to teach him to be Sesshomaru. However she was going to get her little piece of revenge!

* * *

Sesshomaru just watched his father gape after them and hid his smirk in Rin's neck as he hugged her. This morning he had panicked because Rin hadn't been there then his father had come barreling into the room growling and then he grabbed him. Sesshomaru had escaped thanks to the kitsune and the monk, all three of them then raced to find Rin. He had tackled the human as the kitsune and the monk dove behind her as they attempted to escape the wrath of his father after their mad dash to Rin.

Now he had ensured Rin to be his trainer and this would be fun, he liked how Rin fought. She fought like a yōkai. Which was more than he could say for his father's tutors. He didn't want to be involved with the tutors that his father hired for his teachings because they weren't tough enough. Sesshomaru smirked knowing that his father's tutors for him would be furious but he'd rather train with Rin than them because Rin was serious about her fighting. He knew from the way she cared for her fang.

"Sesshomaru, you had better be prepared for training, because it's not going to be easy. I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're Sesshomaru," Rin said with a mischievous smile when he pulled back to look at her.

"Hn," he decided was the safest answer as he assessed the girl. There was a devious glint in her brown eyes which had him frowning a bit. She was up to something, his human wasn't good at hiding when she was up to something. Sesshomaru was most curious about what was going through her head as she carried him through the inuyōkai home. Just what was Rin planning?

* * *

**I'll have another update tonight, maybe; this is provided I don't sleep. **

**That's all for now folks, I'm thinking about taking a nap...**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	99. Mysteries of You: Chapter 39

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inyasha  
**

* * *

**Instigate****_:_** _To Goad or Urge Forward…_

* * *

**Chapter 39**

The past week of training Sesshomaru she had learned that her lord was by no means a fair fighter in his training. In fact he was the biggest cheater that she had ever fought, the dweeb was worse than her brother! And that was saying something since her memories of her brother he was the biggest cheater ever, and then there was a pup Sesshomaru…

That dweeb!

Rin stomped through the compound again furious as the pup walked beside her, she felt like strangling the pup but restrained. Actually, his being a cheater in a fight made a lot of sense on how he had gotten so damn good at fighting. But still, he was far worse than Michio and Miroku combined on his dirty fighting style. Dweeb, if she didn't know he grew up she'd have kicked his ass mercilessly, but he was her lord and she wasn't one to beat up pups. But she was about ready to make an exception for the pup if he continued fighting dirty.

"Rin, can we go hunting?" Sesshomaru persisted tugging on her kimono sleeve. She stopped and frowned down at the pup who was persisting on his demand for a hunt.

"I took you hunting the other day," Rin sighed.

"Hn," was his answer and she groaned as she again rubbed her brow. Perhaps teaching him to be Sesshomaru wasn't a good idea, then again she had had way worse ideas in her lifetime so it could be a good thing. But at this moment she was exhausted.

"Fine, we'll go hunting!" Rin surrendered as they walked towards her quarts. Well this explained why he always got his way, and she probably wasn't helping him by letting him get everything he wanted. Not that it would matter in the long run, he would probably turn out the same either way. But it really wasn't helping that she didn't fight or argue with him because she had other things on her mind. Not that it mattered, she'd indulge her lord while she was here.

While she was here though she'd use her little hunting trips with her lord to scout the lay of the land and plot her next move because she needed to get into dragon territory for the third item she need. In the meantime she'd go hunting with her lord. Oh, and she'd be planning on visiting Tōtōsai, she needed his aid with the two items she had already.

"Let's go!" Sesshomaru grabbed her sleeve after she had snagged her bow and arrows. They tumbled through the compound and into the snow. Rin just sighed as she grabbed the pup, grinned then ran they ran through the snow while she and Sesshomaru started a hunt. It was amazing to Rin how she couldn't hold a grudge against her lord. She smiled when he transformed and raced forward in the snow after the giant white puppy leading the way through the forest.

* * *

Masaru smirked as the pup and the walking ghost raced into the forest and almost admitted to himself how amazing it was to see Rin happy in the time period she did not belong in. Then again, did any of them truly belong in one set time period? He didn't know, he had come from a very different time from the one he currently resided in but it was amazing all the same. However he couldn't shake the feeling that despite all he had been told, all Mikadzuki-sama had told him and taught him there were crucial things he did not know about. It was amazing really.

For such an honest open creature Mikadzuki had secrets; but all the same he would trust that his lady, and his savior had not sent him out on a fool's errand here in this time. But he wasn't certain at this point what his purpose was. The next piece of information he knew was to come quickly and then he had nothing to do for Mikadzuki-sama for nearly five hundred years. So he was most curious about what he was to do about the next five hundred years. For now though, he'd just focus on the first war he knew.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Sesshomaru stared Edo Village as he watched the humans leave and the yōkai moved here. It was amazing how accepting of this as the humans were. Then again these humans were very used to him and what he had come to term as his kind meaning yōkai and yōkai families. Watching them flee he knew there was a real possibility that their home would not be here again when they returned. But these humans seemed to accept this; strangely.

"My lord! I have the yōkai you requested." He turned at the annoying voice of Jaken. His amber eyes flicked towards the yōkai there.

"Hn," he replied once he looked back to the village and then he walked towards where the well was and the blasted tree.

"What is it you need, Sesshomaru-sama?" one of the yōkai asked and then Sesshomaru pulled the plans from his sleeve, the exact plans which he had asked Kagome for.

"This, in a week, flawless and aged," Sesshomaru stated as he turned to look at the yōkai. Jaken took the plans from him and Sesshomaru looked back to the well.

"My lord, these are human shrine plans!" Jaken exclaimed. Sesshomaru turned towards the kappa, his eyes narrowed on the green creature.

"I know, build it," Sesshomaru ordered then stalked away. It was the only way to protect the well and from what he knew from Kagome the tree and the well were a part of a human shrine in her time. That meant that there had been a shrine here built at one point in time from now and five hundred years from now. Well it didn't matter who was to build the shrine, he had interrogated the miko extensively on the matter and now…he was building it now. He had to ensure that his link to Rin was not destroyed in this war and he'd rather have this shrine ripped apart and pillaged for nothing than to lose the well and Rin to time.

Walking through forest Sesshomaru thought about all Masaru knew and what Kagome had collaborated and he thought about the first war he had been in; Rin had been in the war. He had merely been a pup but his Rin and his father had stormed the Panther compound coming for him after a series of events which had lead to him being captured. Soon after that the first Rin had disappeared from that time. He wondered why Rin disappeared but he had a feeling that all the Rins he knew, the child he had raised, the woman he had loved, the guardian he had looked to for guidance had all been the same and she was tied to the well.

His only goal in while this 'war' was to come, was to keep the well in tact while this went on.

He had little doubt that one day, someday, not in the near future he would meet Rin again. Not now, he never met Rin for long terms; the longest he had ever had Rin in his life was for eight years and that had been when he had been raising her. But if he were right about this…

Well then he'd just have to keep that well in one piece and wait for her to return. It was clear she wasn't coming back to soon, but he could be patient.

* * *

**Sorry about...well pretty much this entire month but I've had real life stuff going on and I've been trying to keep up with it. Anyways, I'm coming back with more regular updates since my life has settled down.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	100. Mysteries of You: Chapter 40

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Instigate**_**:**_ _To Goad or Urge Forward…_

* * *

**Chapter 40**

Toran smiled, this was almost too easy as she saw the pup run through the forest and the snow. Sesshomaru shifted back into his humanoid form. She turned to look at her brother and nodded reassuringly to her siblings. Certainly the four of them could take this pup without his human guardian. Which was something she had never thought she'd think even to herself as she crouched in her perch looking down at the silver pup. The best part about this whole situation was the pup hadn't even noticed them.

"Now, be fast and I'll get the human," Toran decided and her siblings nodded. She hurried in the direction the pup had come from in hopes to intersect the walking ghost so as to kill the bitch. If she wanted to be the bitch of an inuyōkai then she could damn well die like an inuyōkai bitch. Besides, the girl was human in body, and humans were fragile creatures so Toran just needed the right attack to kill this bitch. The human ghost would no longer be the walking ghost, when Toran was finished with the human she'd be a real ghost. A sadistic smile turned her lips as she thought this and back tracked Sesshomaru route to find his Rin.

* * *

Rin sighed, how could she continuously lose one puppy; who was larger than a horse; on these hunting trips? Grumbling she stomped through the snow with Bakusaiga on her hip, the bow in hand and her arrows on her other hip. Rin studied the snow surrounding her as she hunted for her pup. The dweeb was truly a pup when he was comfortable, she just sighed again as she rubbed her brow and thought about where her pup could've gotten away to. Sesshomaru was truly a puppy when he had been a pup, but in many strange ways he was also mature and grown up.

"You," Rin turned with an arrow notched as she glared at the coming yōkai.

"You," the woman purred out and Rin's eyes narrowed recognizing the blue figure approaching her. The blue woman's eyes narrowed on her arrow. "Do you honestly feel that that is an adequate weapon against me?"

"No, but it won't matter," Rin answered icily as she moved the aim she had on the woman.

"Oh, and why is that?" the cat yōkai asked with curiosity in those blue eyes.

"Because, you couldn't take me either way; I was trained by the Greatest Inu no Taisho to ever rule the inuyōkai clan, I am the mate of Sesshomaru-sama and his equal, I have walked the land of the dead twice and returned, I have trained my entire life to kill beings as great as the daiyōkai. You are nothing more than a mere pest to me," Rin stated honestly.

"How is that possible?"

"Because I am the one, and the only Rin and I will not die here in the time I do not belong in," Rin stated then she released her arrow. The cat leapt into the air, the bow fell from her fingers as her hand grabbed Bakusaiga and lunged for the she-cat.

* * *

**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**

Sesshomaru stood there watching the human troops form and create their camp. It was impressive how quickly these humans congregated together. They were like insects flying to fire. But this fire would burn them all because until that blasted shrine was built he wouldn't be letting the humans near the well or that tree; which his sister-in-law insisted was of great importance in her time. He didn't give a shit about what was important in her time or to her because to him it meant nothing, the only important thing was that the well survived the next five hundred years.

At least until he got his hands on Rin again. Once he did he was firstly wringing her neck and then he was never letting the blasted human out of his sight. Again.

Damn human, damn time, damn fate, he was going to throttle Rin though once he got his hands on her. She would never experience mercy from him. Again.

He glared down at the humans who threatened his link to his mate.

"The mark, who else has seen it?" he glanced over at the blue she-cat yōkai approaching him.

"Rin, Inuyasha's pack, and you," he answered truthfully. Then he turned to glare humans again. They had no taijiya so there were no real threats among their ranks. As far as he was concerned.

"How is the mark?" Toran asked coldly.

"Hn," he then turned to walk away from the human camp towards Toran. The blue she-cat did not flinch until he was standing at her side still walking towards the forest.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Toran said carefully.

"Tell anyone about the mark you saw and I will end your very existence and you will not need to worry about surviving this war," Sesshomaru stated in his indifferent tone as he walked into the forest.

The curse mark he had received from Magatsuhi was merely raised skin. The black was gone, faded and soon the raised skin would no doubt also be gone. He didn't know why but he had a feeling that Rin had something to do with his fading mark. He didn't know what Rin was doing; hell he didn't even know where she was, or when she was or what she was even doing. Still he had a feeling that Rin was the reason behind his fading mark.

Sighing he looked up at the sky. Just where was Rin? What was she doing? When was she? He just hoped that she was alright because until they met again she had to be alive. Mostly so he could lose his temper and yell at her for her carelessness, or rather her impulsiveness. And yes, he would do the uncharacteristic thing for him and yell at her for this. Sesshomaru only knew one thing and that was for the time being he had to protect his link to Rin. And that meant that the yōkai were going to follow his plan whether they liked it or not. It also meant that none could know that he had experienced a curse from a yōkai without a proper body.

He just looked back to the forest and made his way towards the construction of the Higurashi Shrine. This shrine was the key to Rin so he'd have to guard it.

* * *

**That's all for now folks! **

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	101. Mysteries of You: Chapter 41

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Don't Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Illusions:**_ Obsolete; the Act of Deceiving…_

* * *

**Chapter 41**

InuTaisho looked up when he scented blood wafting through the cold air of the winter. His eyes narrowed as he followed the metallic, iron, scent of human blood. He found red and his eyes widened a bit as he followed the red staining the white. The red lead him right to her.

Blood.

His eyes widened bit.

Rin, it was the first time he had seen this human; this particular human bleeding and weak as she leaned on the tree with a determined snarl on her lips. The girl was naturally pale, but with a healthy tan from living however at this moment the girl was white as the snow she was bleeding on. Her black hair formed a black veil hiding her face and he had never seen such a battered, destroyed body for a human still standing. The girl's labored breathing warned him that she was still in a fighting mood with that bloody fang in her bloodied grip.

"Stop gawking and help me," the human girl snarled at him as she shoved herself up from the tree and took a shaky step towards him. InuTaisho grabbed his son's mate before she pitched forward then he raced towards the compound.

"Where is my son?" InuTaisho demanded trying to keep the girl talking and breathing and alert because he did not need his son to have a dead human mate.

"Toran of the Panther Clan and her siblings took him," Rin said through gritted teeth as he brought her into the compound. He handed her to the monk who had come to greet them then turned to go after his pup when Rin grabbed his sleeve.

"No, if you go I go," Rin snarled as she looked at him with dark determined eyes.

"You are the reason that my son is taken and now you can barely stand and are bleeding to death so you want to aid me? Die you pathetic human," InuTaisho snarled at her. But the human's fist tightened on his silk sleeve.

"If you go now you will die, and I know everything to come so I think that it is best if I come with you," Rin stated again through tight teeth.

"And how would you know that, you're nothing but a useless human, and an unnecessary insect."

"I know because I know every major event to come and go over the next five hundred years because I've seen it all. I am here only to aid and unlike you there is nothing I will not do in service to aiding my lord. And part of that means making certain you don't die. So either I go with you or without but either way I'm coming with you," Rin stated as her dark eyes looked determined.

"If you die it is not my fault, my sole purpose is to make certain my only heir is alive," InuTaisho informed the girl. What he never expected was the sadistic smile which turned Rin's lips then.

"That is fine with me, just let me get bandaged," Rin snarled.

"Rin, you're losing an awful lot of blood," the monk whispered to her.

"I know, just patch me up and I'll be fine," Rin murmured and InuTaisho frowned as she disappeared with the monk. He reached down to pick up the bloody fang but the searing pain from merely touching it had him gasping as he collapsed; what the hell!?

* * *

Toran gasped as she staggered after her siblings with her battered bloodied body. Though she had done extreme damage to the human but that human had inflicted just as many dangerous wounds to her. Even with her quick healing these weren't closing as she'd like.

And Kami did it hurt.

Gritting her fangs she continued staggering through the forest when she saw the camp of her siblings. She smiled a bit as they saw her coming and she lost her balance to roll down the hill. The last thing she saw as her world dimmed was her siblings' concerned faces and that pup smirking. What the hell was that pup so smug about? She had more than likely killed that walking ghost of a human.

* * *

_**272 Years from Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Izayoi was on the Setsuna Compound and tried not to panic as she paced her quarters. It wasn't that big of a deal, it really wasn't that uncommon nor was it a big deal to panic over. Lots of women missed their monthly, and hers most certainly hadn't been regular. Ever. Still, she couldn't help but worry as she missed one and she thought she had missed a tea one morning because InuTaisho was persistent when they were together that he have her undivided attention.

Not that carrying his child was unappealing to her, it was too appealing and that was the problem. If Takemaru discovered about her tryst with the enemy inuyōkai then she was as good as dead, of that she had no doubt. It wasn't that Takemaru wasn't a good man, he was a very good man and after having lived with him for as long as she had she had learned that much so far. He was a truly good man, but if he knew…

Well Izayoi feared that, so she was desperately hoping for her horrible monthly to come. She'd welcome the blood, the cramping, and the pain of her period because then she would have to worry about concealing a pregnancy or a war between her love and her friend. Closing her eyes she continued to restlessly pace the room as she eagerly awaited her bleeding to start.

But she didn't know if she could will the blood to come, she hoped she could will it to come on time. Else she'd have to figure out how to fake a woman's bleeding so as to thwart Takemaru's suspicions. Because she knew that despite his claims to the contrary he did check on her. So she would have to figure out a way to thwart nature and fake a monthly until she actually had her monthly. Also she'd need to talk with InuTaisho.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	102. Mysteries of You: Chapter 42

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Illusions:**_ Obsolete; the Act of Deceiving…_

* * *

**Chapter 42**

Rin winced a bit as the monk aided in bandaging her. Toran's claws had inflicted a lot of damage on her body, it was difficult for her to move but Rin would 'grin and bear it' just as Kagome had often advised her to do. She looked over the slashed the she-cat yōkai had inflicted on her and watched as they started to heal.

Ever since her first death Rin had an unusually quick healing ability, Sesshomaru thought it was because of his father's fang. Honestly she didn't have a clue because she could honestly say that most of her memories before her first death she had been battered, beaten, and broken. After Sesshomaru had taken her under his protection she had never been hurt again; at least seriously injured. Being a child a few scrapes and bruises had been inevitable.

"Rin, you'll die if you fight in this condition," Michio murmured as he bandaged her shoulder and back.

"Not likely," Rin mumbled as they continued wrapping her. Honestly she felt like those mummies Kagome had told her about. Finally her pale skin was wrapped up in snowy white bandages. She pulled on clean robes, they were red and white; honestly with the cherry pattern on them they reminded her of her lord's robes from her time. Rin let her black hair fall down her back as she carefully pulled the robes over her ripped up body.

"Rin," she looked over her shoulder at the silver inuyōkai female who stood in the door. Michio looked over at the female and Rin tilted her head questioningly to him. He just shrugged and again she turned her attention to her lord's mother.

"My lady, how may I be of service to you?" Rin asked while gently pushing her ripped up arm through the silk sleeve of her chosen robes.

"Do not fail my son," InuKimi stated coldly and Rin's dark eyes again flicked over her shoulder at the female and she smiled a bit.

"My lady, I swear upon my life, soul and existence, that I will never hurt or fail your son." Rin said honestly as she continued gingerly dressing herself. She again did not wear shoes; it was something she detested and honestly she felt better without them. "I'll guide him home, my lady, always," Rin promised the woman then looked to the monk as she picked up Bakusaiga's sheath.

"I will hold you to that child," InuKimi said as she walked away.

"I guess this is where we part ways," Rin said softly as she looked at the monk. Michio smiled softly then.

"I believe it is, Rin," he agreed softly. She walked up to him and decided to do the Kagome thing; or so she had come to term it when she had lived with Kagome and Inuyasha. Tenderly she reached up to wrap an arm around his shoulders and hold him close as she rested her chin on his jaw.

"Live a long life, have a son or two and perhaps one day in a different life I'll meet you again," Rin whispered in his ear. Carefully he wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her close to him and she smiled. "You've been a true friend, and I was happy to have met you."

"You stay safe Rin, I think fate has big plans for you. Also take care of your lord; I'd like to meet him in a different life and to see you again," he murmured and she smiled a bit as she gingerly stepped away from him. Then she pulled on her old indifferent shell which she could hide her pain from the world as she smiled at Michio one last time before walking out of the room to leave him to his own devices.

"Take care Michio," Rin said one last time over her shoulder as she walked the halls of the compound.

"Good byes are always difficult, Mikadzuki-sama said that she always hates goodbyes," she looked at the kitsune who materialized beside her. She took Bakusaiga from him which he had carefully wrapped in a silk cloth. Sheathing her fang she walked with him thinking of her next words carefully to figure out the fox's intentions.

"Yes, goodbyes are difficult," Rin admitted then she looked up at the fox as they walked towards the front gates of the compound. "But giving up is far more painful than any goodbye could be."

"I've heard that before, too," Masaru mused and she saw InuTaisho waiting for her at the gates in the snow. He was in his true form which was most impressive, though her lord had been that size when she had been a child and her lord was not done maturing and growing unlike his father who had reached his full size.

"Are you here to annoy and attempt to distract me or are you here to aid me?" Rin asked softly.

"I am a servant of Mikadzuki-sama and I serve to please, also she threatened me with a fate far worse than death if I were not to aid you." Masaru smirked, Rin ignored him as she stood before InuTaisho.

"I will be unable to keep up with you if you desire to travel in this form, so I am asking if it would be alright if you aided me and gave me a ride to our fight," Rin bowed her head respectfully but kept her eyes on InuTaisho's red ones. The snowy white dog snarled but lowered himself so she could get on. With practiced motions Rin clambered onto the inuyōkai who snapped his jaws at the silver kitsune.

"I need no ride from you," Masaru snapped and Rin rolled her eyes.

"If that is all then let us go get Sesshomaru before he slaughters the entire panther clan, that would not be good," Rin murmured knowing her lord. Even in as a pup his temper had never changed and she had little doubt that if he were mad then he could rip apart a yōkai clan with ease. In her time her lord could destroy empires if he were inclined to do so, so she didn't want the pup to alter time. Or the events to come; some things were important in her time and in the battle against Naraku, Rin did not wish to change history and miss meeting her lord.

InuTaisho snarled and then he raced towards the forest. She just pressed her body to his and wrapped her hands securely in his fur. Rin just hung on for dear life and prayed to make it there in one piece and that her lord was alright for the time being.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	103. Mysteries of You: Chapter 43

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Illusions:**_ Obsolete; the Act of Deceiving…_

* * *

**Chapter 43**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

They had a fairly large group, which was surprising but more surprising was the fact that Sōten and her dragon friend, Koryū had given them a ride here. Kohaku had escorted his girl (as it was called in her time when a boy took an interest in a girl) Yuki here. Shippo had come with his 'friend' Sōten, Kagome could see that there was more there than mere friendship blooming. Miroku and Sango with their entire brood, plus Sango's newly discovered pregnancy, herself, Inuyasha and her two pups made up the rest of the group. It was truly amazing that Koryū was still in the sky considering the little worm he had been a few years ago.

"Well, this is the place Sesshomaru spoke of," Inuyasha announced and she looked over her husband's shoulder then. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the cloud palace standing there proudly. "Huh, wondered why he said we had to fly."

"It's beautiful," Yuki exclaimed.

"It's Sesshomaru-sama's mother's home," Kohaku announced and no one knew what to say. Kagome hadn't even known that Sesshomaru had had a mother, honestly she thought he was a manifestation of InuTaisho or something to be perfect in every way but in personality. The news was astounding to her as they flew nearer to it. Gracefully Koryū landed and Kohaku leapt off first with Shippo then aided them all down.

"Follow me," they all looked a small gold inuyōkai girl who had her head bowed. Reluctantly they followed. But most of Kagome's reluctance was from Kohaku's unease. She didn't know what had happened when Kohaku had traveled with Sesshomaru but it was clear that he didn't like this place as they walked into the beautiful palace.

Kagome looked around the castle as she held her new pup in her arms. It was beautiful, far more beautiful than any other compound she had ever seen. Hoshi squirmed in her arms and Haruto gurgled in his father's arms. Sango's brood all stared around themselves with awe. The twins; Kanon and Kaori, and their four brothers; Michio, Mitsuru, Ren, Souta, all clustered around their mother out of fear and curiosity of their new surroundings. It was a most beautiful of palaces, Kagome could stay here for forever it was so beautiful staring out at the mountains and down on the Edo Village.

"Welcome," they all turned to the voice. Kagome's eyes widened at the sight of the woman standing there. She looked like Sesshomaru, amber eyes, a crescent moon in the center of her forehead, one jagged magenta strip on each of her cheeks, red lips and a face of beauty and perfection. She was a tall woman, inuyōkai clearly, her mokomoko was wrapped around her shoulders and fell to wrap around her feet too, and in her purple kimono she looked breathtaking. The kimono pattern though reminded Kagome of something Sesshomaru had once given Rin.

"I am InuKimi-sama, holder of the Inuyōkai Clan since the passing of InuTaisho and mother of the Inu no Taisho, I welcome my son's guests." The proud woman dipped her head a bit but not in a bow of any sorts, more of an acknowledgement. "My son has sent orders that we are to accommodate you until he says differently."

"InuKimi," Kohaku bowed lowly to the silver female. Her gold eyes narrowed on him then.

"You were the boy traveling with my son and his beloved person," InuKimi said icily and her eyes narrowed in a way that Sesshomaru's did warning Kagome that this woman was irritated. "You were infatuated with the girl."

"Uh…no, not anymore…I have Yuki!" he grabbed poor Yuki and dragged her beside him and smiled nervously. Kagome wondered what that was all about but it was clear that she wasn't going to be getting an answer anytime soon from the nervous way Kohaku was acting.

"Who's Sesshomaru's 'beloved person'?" Kagome asked. Sesshomaru did not have a beloved, at all. And she would not let him trap Rin so she didn't know if this woman was talking about someone else.

"The female human named Rin who travels with my son. Very nice girl, always polite and respectful," InuKimi stated and Kagome decided she was going to strangle Sesshomaru when she go her hands on him. "Follow me and I will show you where your families will be living."

"Alright," Miroku answered picking up his youngest son, Souta.

"Monk, perchance do you have an anscestor named Michio?" InuKimi asked suddenly.

"Me!" the small child exclaimed as he fell onto InuKimi's mokomoko; everyone froze in fear of the woman's wrath. InuKimi lifted her mokomoko though until the toddler was level with her.

"Hello Michio, but I do not think you are the Michio I'm speaking up." InuKimi said softly with a smile that Kagome had never seen before she handed Michio to Sango and walked off. What was that abouty? Kagome wondered as they walked through the beautiful palace.

"This housing is your families' living quarters," InuKimi stated bringing them to something similar to full sized guest houses. They were graceful, they were huge, and they were beautiful. "If you should need anything just tell Suzu and she will get it for you."

Kagome turned to look at the gold girl then, she had sunny gold hair, gold eyes, pale skin, green stripes on her cheeks and an actual tail. Everyone said their thanks before walking into the houses and claiming their quarters. It was most beautiful of living arrangements she had ever seen, perfectly traditional and charming but unsettling. So this was Sesshomaru's home; that was unnerving. It was a most concerning though as she placed her beautiful pups down to sleep then sat on her futon.

"Kagome, you'll be safe here," Inuyasha informed her while he sat beside her. Her heart sunk but she knew, she had known this was how the world was to work when she had married him. Inuyasha was a fighter at heart and he was happiest in the thick of a fight; any kind of fight verbal or physical, but he was also a loving man and would take care of her safety and the safety of her pups.

"Don't go," Kagome said it before she could really think about what she was saying and he merely looked down at her before sitting before her.

"I have to go, this is a fight for the right our pups have to exist, it's important. And I trust Sesshomaru so you'll be safe here," he promised her then he kissed her lightly on the lips. "I'll see you soon."

He was gone before she protest and just like her heart had broken all those years ago when she had been trapped in her time without him, it shattered again. The tears flowed down her cheeks before she could fight it but she knew he was right as she cried silently.

* * *

**Inuyasha's and Kagome's pups' names:**

**Haruto: male; means 'sun flying'**

**Hoshi: female; means 'star'**

* * *

**Miroku and Sango's children's names:  
**

**Kanon: female; means 'flower sound'**

**Kaori: female; means 'perfume, fregrance'**

**Michio: male; means 'man on a journey'**

**Mitsuru: male (unisex); means 'satisfy, full'**

**Ren: male (unisex); means 'lotus/love'**

**Souta: male; means 'large sudden'**

* * *

**I psyched myself out..hehe, reaching '100' chapters, freaked me out and then I remembered I have this story broken up into Parts so I'm not really at a 100 chapters in terms of the story and it's parts...  
**

**It makes no sense but it calmed me down a bit so I could focus on the story again.**

**Anyways, lots of updates today so take a pick of what you want to read!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	104. Mysteries of You: Chapter 44

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Illusions:**_ Obsolete; the Act of Deceiving…_

* * *

**Chapter 44**

Sesshomaru glared at the blue female as he sat there gagged and tied up thoroughly. Apparently they didn't like his venom and poison, he liked them but what was pissing him off was that he was tied up and couldn't use his best weapons. However Rin's voice was running through his mind and he decided his best course of action was waiting for Rin. She'd be coming for him, she had promised him she'd come after him.

Unlike his mother and his father he knew he could always rely on Rin and he was relying heavily on her at this moment while he glared at his captors. The blue bitch wasn't happy with him, but he didn't care as he sat there growling. He was not a happy pup at this moment and he wanted to kill the blue feline.

"What should we do with this brat?" he glared at the young red one who circled him. These felines were creatures he wanted to kill and if he didn't have his hands tied behind his back and was gagged he'd try his damnedest to kill them. However, he wasn't certain how he was to escape or how to attack them all at once. Rin nor his father or any of those blasted tutors had gotten into the fights against multiple opponents. But once he figured out how to escape he'd work hard to figure out how to obliterate his captors and run for Rin.

Rin, her name was floating around his mind, and it was the only thing keeping him calm. And his eyes narrowed dangerously on the she-cats as they circled him.

"We take him to the Master, and when the Master has ransomed his claw back then we kill the brat and then I'm tracking the human bitch protector of his down and slaughtering her. Why the hell won't these wounds close!?" the blue one shouted. Sesshoamru rolled his eyes then, no one was able to kill Rin so he didn't have to worry about this inferior thing killing his Rin.

* * *

Rin was gritting her teeth as she tightened her grip in the silver fur of the inuyōkai running through the snow, the forest and the mountains. The worst part about this wasn't the pain stabbing through all the ragged wounds which had been torn over her body it was feeling of the blood staining her bandages. She could feel that vital and precious life blood leaving her body but it didn't matter as she stubbornly clung to consciousness.

Rin wasn't going to give up on her lord, she wouldn't pass out until she had Sesshomaru somewhere safe. After her lord was safe again she'd let her body surrender to unconsciousness to heal. But she wasn't giving up on her lord until he was safe. For now she'd grit her teeth and hold on to InuTaisho and pray those cats were too stupid hurt him. But if any of them did hurt her lord she was ending them all even if it killed her.

"Why are you here?" InuTaisho demanded.

"Because it was demanded of me to save my lord when none would." Rin snapped through gritted teeth trying to ignore the pain of her seeping wounds. It was no easy task but she was working on that as she hung on. All she wanted was Sesshomaru with her again and to finish her task to save him in her time. She just wanted him to be safe again, she wanted him home and she wanted him home again.

* * *

**_Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village..._**

InuKimi didn't like the boy, she hadn't when he had first come up here with her son and his beloved person. Rin was special to her in ways neither child knew and she knew Sesshomaru didn't understand as she would grow into that woman. And lately Rin was on her mind and Rin was the unknown. The last she had seen of the girl she had been a child, though when she had first met the woman known as Rin she had been miffed. That woman was someone who was dangerous and determined with unwavering loyal to her lord. And now that InuKimi had seen the child traveling with her son the woman who had guarded her son made sense. However it was concerning to her that her son's mate was not in the group who was with InuTaisho's other son.

The boy however had been and then he had run off with the other yōkai there. Which was for the best because she wanted to slay the boy who threatened her son's happiness. InuKimi knew when a male was taken with a beautiful female and she had known that the boy Kohaku had been a threat to Sesshomaru's happiness. The boy had wanted her son's mate and that was something that she couldn't tolerate. If she had it her way the threat on her son's happiness would be eliminated. That was a promise she had made herself since meeting the child who was the woman who loved her son.

InuKimi wondered where Rin was, her son wasn't exactly a talkative male and she wondered who the child was now. Hopefully that child had grown into the fearless woman who she had once met. Perhaps one day, perhaps not now but she hoped that one day in the future that she could meet the woman who she knew from the past.

* * *

Sesshomaru stared at the newly finished shrine. A sacred human shrine which would not be destroyed, not while it was thought to be sacred. He would never let it be known that it was made by yōkai and had even employed the help of a miko to convince these pathetic humans if they were to try to attack this shrine. So long as the well survived to Kagome's time he didn't care, for now he'd just survive the next five hundred known years with all of it's quirks. After that, it'd be one day at a time.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	105. Mysteries of You: Chapter 45

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Illusions:**_ Obsolete; the Act of Deceiving…_

* * *

**Chapter 45**

They reached the gates, and before she was ordered to Rin slid off of InuTaisho to literally hit the ground running as she slowed to a jog and pulled her fang. Unlike InuTaisho and the Sesshomaru who had raised her she did not have the strength or the fight to attack daiyōkai head on. Besides that she was only here for Sesshomaru, if InuTaisho felt like destroying the Panther King then she'd let him have at it. Besides from what she knew this was the place where the Panther King's body was mummified, at least this is where her lord had shown it to be before showing her the carnage Inuyasha had created. Carefully Rin held Bakusaiga and hid her pain as she slipped through the fortress evading the other yōkai charging through the halls.

Her breath was coming out in shuddered gasps which she could see in the frozen halls as her bare feet crossed the wood silently. The vibrations of the coming jarred her and she slipped behind a pillar out of sight only intending to retrieve her lord then running for Tōtōsai. That was her next stop, and then come spring she'd have to leave to continue her quest but for now she'd just focus on this one thing. Retrieving her lord was all that was important to her right now.

Once the yōkai rushed past her she released a shuddering breath as the cold bite her and then she steeled her resolve. Spinning around the post again she continued her silent clearing of the mansion as she looked for where they would hide the pup. The pup was more than likely in the dungeons, but where would she find the access for those though? She didn't know, but she was silently hunting.

"What's going on?" she recognized that voice.

"I don't know," a male replied. "I'm going to see!"

"No!"

"Shūran! Don't!" another female gasped.

"I have to go, I will help the Master, you three should be able to guard the pup who's tied up and gagged," the male snapped and Rin slipped down the passage she heard his voice coming from. Pup, her lord, she was coming and she was furious. No one dared to tie up and gag her lord; no matter the age or the intentions of others, and Rin knew this because Sesshomaru was Sesshomaru and he didn't tolerate being degraded.

"Wha!?" the cat barely go to breath before she slashed her fang across his body nearly slicing him in half as she nimbly stepped around the huge male and stabbed his gut again then continued her descent.

"Release him," Rin ordered as she hid in the shadows, the females all stiffened to look around for her. Toran smiled coldly then.

"You're a stubborn bitch," the she-cat mused.

"You have no idea," Rin agreed as she carefully made her way to a good fighting spot should the cats attack. And she had no doubt that they would.

"How about we have fried human this time rather than shishkabob?" the flame handling one mused as flames lit the dark dungeon.

"I think you'll find I don't taste well," Rin mused darkly. Her disheveled kimono fell off her shoulder revealing the mark and she knew the three she-cats could see it. But it was not important at this moment.

"Oh-ho, I see you truly are a bitch, his bitch," the long haired one declared and Rin smiled icily.

"I am, and I'm hell," Rin rushed the fire one first.

* * *

Sesshomaru wanted to scream at Rin to watch out but it appeared his human was fast to counter attack. She made quick work of the fire one with two deep stab wounds, the she-cat fell to her knees coughing up blood. Toran, the one he wanted dead attacked Rin with her sister. Rin grabbed the long hair of the auburn cat then yanked her around as a shield. Toran skewered her sister, the she-cat screamed in pain as Toran pulled her claws from her sister.

Rin slashed Toran down and then walked to him. His human moved stiffly as she knelt to his level then untied him. Sesshomaru hugged her tightly and scented the blood when he did but Rin's arms slid around him as she lifted him up then ran out of the dungeons. Sesshomaru watched the blue she-cat lift herself up before collapsing again, no one dared to move.

Rin sheathed her fang, then gripped him tightly. Sesshomaru stared over her shoulder as his father lunged for the giant cat. Rin gasped, and he almost smirked, she ran and a giant set of claws all slammed into the earth following him and Rin. The human never stopped as she ran, he just tightened his hold on Rin, he snarled when he saw and archer and unleashed his light whip. The light slashed through the yōkai, cutting the creature in half as Rin ran into the forest. Her hand cradled his head as she trudged through the snow and then she stopped on the ridge. He stared down at the battle.

A giant dog lunged for the brown feline who leapt out of the path of the gnashing jaws. Rin said nothing as she looked down then she looked to him with a smile.

"Rin," Sesshomaru stared at her, her eyes were pained and sad but she was still standing strong.

"I'm so glad you're safe," Rin breathed and hugged him to her as she trudged through snow. He felt like he was being suffocated with that hug but he didn't fight her hold. It felt good to be hugged after being alone with those cats.

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to Tōtōsai's, do you know the way?" Rin asked him.

"Yes," Sesshomaru replied.

"Good then you're leading the way," Rin informed him with a happy smile. "But you're not to leave my sight, this time."

"Yes Rin," he smiled a bit as she set him down and he took her hand. She winced a bit as they walked through forest and the snow, why she needed to go to Tōtōsai was beyond him. But if Rin needed his father's smith then he'd take her to him.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Night and Morning (whichever)!**

**That's all for now folks! =)**


	106. Mysteries of You: Chapter 46

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Springing Back; Rebounding…_

* * *

**Chapter 46**

Rin decided that enduring, and ignoring her pain was the best course of action as she now rode Sesshomaru. The pup had transformed after she had fell in the snow and had begun wobbling as she walked. Not that she was thrilled to be riding the pup but it was a relief to her battered human body, which was enough for her to be grateful but also enough for her to worry about the pup as they made their way through the now raging snow storm. The cold was seeping into her bleeding wounds freezing her blood and making her feel colder than she really was but she was stubbornly hanging onto her lord as they made their way towards Tōtōsai's work area.

Her breath hitched as she looked past her flying black hair behind her, there, she saw the glowing yellow eyes. Rin gasped a bit as they materialized from the white out snarling with snapping teeth, they were possessed; she had been killed by possessed wolves so she knew what they looked like and her heart was slamming in fear. She didn't draw her weapon, she should've but she didn't as she sat up a little straighter on her inuyōkai who was now growling lowly.

"Sesshomaru-sama, run," she whispered to him and knew he heard her over the howling winds and the raging snow. The pup snapped his jaws, she felt his muscles tense under her thighs, she wrapped her hands in his fur then she was pressed against him as her lord bolted. She didn't gasp as he ran, she didn't scream as sshe heard the wolves howling behind her and she did not let her terror over run her mind as she clung to the pup. Her body moved with his spine as they ran through the forest. The pup snarled at the wolves chasing him and surrounding him but Rin was eternally grateful that he wasn't going to stop to fight them.

It didn't matter that he Masaru had claimed for the wolves to be allies or not.

They scented blood, her blood, in winter and all bets were off. Rin didn't want to die at the jaws of these monsters again. Her eyes watched the wolves as they tried to surround her and Sesshomaru but he didn't slow or stop. If anything the pup quickened his run, she just kept a firm grasp on the pup as they ran through the forest and prayed that the wolves didn't catch them. Her second greatest fear in life was another death by wolves, all those teeth, the pain, the growls, the snarls, all of it which still haunted her nightmares. She never wanted to experience that again so she held onto her lord tightly.

Gritting her teeth Rin ignored the pain in her body as they ran through the snow, it was her blood though which was luring these wolves after them and she couldn't stop the bleeding here.

* * *

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"This is a beautiful place," Kagome looked up at her pregnant friend Sango who walked into the garden there.

"It is, almost surreal," Kagome agreed and resumed her readings of the Inu no Taisho's journal, it wasn't Sesshomaru's but rather his fathers and Kagome found most of the entries most interesting as she sat there with Hoshi suckling and Haruto napping beside her.

"What are these?" Sango asked looking at the scrolls.

"InuTaisho's private journals, apparently Sesshomaru was quiet a handful as a pup," Kagome mused. In her time the blackmail parents held over their children were the baby pictures but these journals were her leverage to get Sesshomaru to leave Rin alone. Oh yes, no doubt he did not want the exploits of his puphood exposed for yōkai kind to read! It was wonderful leverage then her eyes stopped on the kanji she knew so well and her heart plummeted.

'_Today a human girl, Rin, a soothsayer, returned with my son and a dragon, the human is the first of her kind to show my kind no fear. But she is marked already for my son, I wonder if my son realized what the mark means?'_

Kagome's eyes snapped up to the garden surrounding them and she thought about Tōtōsai's words from after Rin leapt down the well. Rin, it couldn't be that simple? Could it? Kagome frantically began reading through all the scrolls she had partially in confusion and partially in fury as she read them. Rin, Rin, Rin, Rin, Rin, her name was everywhere for a period of Sesshomaru's puphood, very briefly and then it was gone as if she ceased to exist.

"You don't think?" Sango voiced.

"Well she could, but I doubt it, Rin's a very, very common name it isn't as if she's the only Rin to never fear yōkai and to," Kagome looked for the other description of this Rin. "Hate humans."

"Kagome, read this," Sango handed her a scroll that she had been reading.

_'I saw her again today, the bitch is ever defiant and strong, even after all this time she hasn't changed. My son has chosen well, I hope he knows this. But Rin doesn't seem to recognize me, I do not know what happened to the girl but she treats me as though we've never met. I will play this human's games, she has found herself a most intriguing of allies for protection, Izayoi, a beautiful human indeed. I wonder why humans have such willful, beautiful women…'_

"Rin knew Izayoi," Kagome breathed as her eyes widened in shock.

"Yes, but it also appears that she's the reason InuTaisho met Izayoi if you read here," Sango pointed and desperately Kagome tried to comprehend what she was reading. It didn't make sense but if Tōtōsai was right then this meant that Rin and InuTaisho had known one another. And from what she was reading in InuTaisho's later journals it appeared that they were good friends. But what she read about Sesshomaru and Rin had her heart plummeting if this Rin was truly the same Rin then Kagome had a feeling that she was forever Sesshomaru's just as she was forever Inuyasha's.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	107. Mysteries of You: Chapter 47

**Mysteries of You... **

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Springing Back; Rebounding…_

* * *

**Chapter 47**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"Did you ever meet Rin?" InuKimi looked up then and Kagome barely contained her anger as she stood there holding the scrolls she had found in her quarters. The silver woman leaned back to glare at her. "

"You mean my son's beloved person?" InuKimi clarified.

"She is not Sesshomaru's!" Kagome snapped. "She is her own person and she does not belong to Sesshomaru, she is in my charge and care!"

"Enough, miko," there was an iciness in that voice which reminded her of Sesshomaru and had her stiffening where she stood. Those gold eyes narrowed dangerously as InuKimi rose to her full height. "My son may have entrusted his beloved person to you humans but Rin was never one of you. That young soothsayer has done more for my son than you can ever comprehend or know about. And my son never surrendered his beloved person in your custody but rather decided that she had to learn to be around humans again if she were to grow up to be a member of the inuyōkai clan. Despite what you think miko none of you have ever had a say in the way my son's beloved person was raised.

"Every decision in the raising of Rin was made with calculation and precision because the girl is a vital member of our clan whether she has been acknowledged or not. Rin was born for her role in our clan, she was raised to be in the traditional manners of inuyōkai and out customs making her an ideal match for my son. You and your concerns with their relationship are unnecessary because the only human who's opinion matters in this relationship is Rin's and I have never heard her object to how she was raised or her being my son's beloved person.

"Furthermore, Rin has never rejected my son or his courtship of her. Quite the opposite seeing as how she would spend three moons here a year, she always seems happiest when she is with my son. And if she were not happy then my son would work harder to make the girl happy. The intricacies of their relationship are not something your narrow mind can grasp but I will put it simply for you; human miko. Sesshomaru is just as much a part of Rin and her life as she is to him; they have been predestined to be together long before your existence or your incarnations existence.

"Another thing to take into account is that you and Inuyasha were predestined before your birth when he fell for that miko, Kikyo-sama and it was only made possible that you two could be together because of my son's beloved person. You may not approve of their relationship but when you look at your relationship with Inuyasha would you approve? I do not, but then it is not my business to interfere with everything that the fates have intended for us.

"Also, Rin has never trusted humans, at least not as long as I have known her and I have known her far longer than you. the girl would rather die a horrible death than to surrender herself to a human male, that tells me a lot about how much she loves my son because no other female has ever shown him that devotion. And you cannot pair Rin off with that brat, that brat was the reason she nearly stayed dead a second time, and in her third life I have only ever seen her shy away from that brat. Rin does not trust him and yet you would blatantly disregard the obvious and pair her with him. My son is a far better choice for her if you ask me, because unlike that brat he'd never hinder or force Rin to submit to his will and that brat would.

"No, I do not believe you have a right to interfere with this relationship when you do not comprehend it. So I will tell you this, miko. Rin is an equal ruling member of the Inuyōkai Clan, she is the equal of the Inu no Taisho and the only bitch ever to have stood before my son and not be sliced down. She hold intelegent conversations and has a passionate heart while listening to her head. She is the only one I would entrust my clan to and my son and if you continue to belittle what was predestined with your ignorance and selfish reasons I will be forced to act in Rin's stead. I have no desire to harm you, miko, quite the opposite really because I am rather fond of having my best friend's grandpups here, but if you persist I will intervene and you will not survive. You are a member of my pack and as your alpha and clan head I will demand that you stop pestering my son and his relationship with Rin.

"However I advise you to think carefully because you, yourself share the same relationship with Inuyasha. That pretty mark on your neck," InuKimi yanked her shirt aside and Kagome gasped. But still in the looking-glass she saw the red mark marring her skin that Inuyasha had given her shortly after her return. "Gives you the exact same emotional bond with Inuyasha. So I ask you this:

"Would you sever a bond that deep because an a meddlesome outsider tried to pair you with say; Koga or Miroku?" InuKimi asked.

Kagome parted her lips to speak but no words would come as she stood there staring into those fierce amber eyes. There was no answer, there was no words, there was no explanation she could give this female; this mother; this leader that would appease her or redeem her desires to break Rin away from Sesshomaru.

"I just don't want Rin to be hurt," Kagome admitted and the silver inuyōkai female smiled softly then.

"I can, personally, assure you that Rin is the last creature in this world that my son will ever come to harm. His internal beast loves her too much to hurt her and she loves him too much in return. Rin will not be hurt by this bond, in fact I have a feeling that it is her bond with my son which will save her one day, as it has already saved Sesshomaru. Rin is a truly remarkable human, I'd advise you to put more faith in her and her abilities, and my son personally oversaw her training so that she'd be the best."

"Alright," Kagome surrendered miserably.

"Also, can you please return my best friend's scrolls after you have finished with them?"

"I hope you're right about Sesshomaru and Rin," Kagome muttered as she stomped off still a little miffed. Just where was Rin now? When was she? How was she doing?Kami was Kagome scared for Rin as she returned to her playing pups.

* * *

**IT'S BEEN CONFIRMED! THERE'S BEEN A SIGHTING OF GEORGE ON THE THAMES! Which is strange because I recall dropping him off in the middle of the Sahara...  
**

**Sigh, who knows with George so long as he isn't near me to eat my writing...**

**Anyways, I read over the reviews because I haven't done that lately and I have to say thank you for the kindness! I love writing this story and am having fun with it as I flow with it. And with no George to eat it, it's been a lot of fun to write again! Thank you for the support, and I hope you continue to enjoy the daily piece! =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	108. Mysteries of You: Chapter 48

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Springing Back; Rebounding…_

* * *

**Chapter 48**

Masaru smiled a bit as he stood there watching the Inu no Taisho battle the Panther King and had to admit that it was most impressive but it was time for him to leave. Turning he walked towards mountains where he had seen a temple he could hide in for the next few centuries. After all, his lady; Mikadzuki-sama, had told him that he would not need to reappear until one night again and then he'd have to hide until the Great Yōkai War. Not that he minded, he was rather fond of watching history play out. It was why he lived to serve Mikadzuki-sama.

Until next time, he mused, then let the blizzard consume him as it had Rin and Sesshomaru.

* * *

They made it!

Rin smiled as she fought off the tears from the relief of having made it to Tōtōsai's forge. It was such a relief that she would've cried but there were no tears for her to shed as she held onto the pup. But her heart plummeted as she recognized the snow that was no longer than snow.

"Stop," she ordered. The pup slid to a stop then looked alert as they looked at the forge. But Rin couldn't help but tense remembering her childhood. The moths, the invasion of them when they were so thick it was like they were snowing from the sky. Now though there was no snow, as there had been tons of that recently; but now it wasn't snow blanketing the mountain, it was moths and her heart was sinking as she saw the sheer mass of them. Carefully she slid her battered body down so she stood at the shoulder of the pup, Sesshomaru returned to his humanoid form and gripped her silk enclosed leg as he looked around the moth encased mountain.

Rin drew Bakusaiga carefully as she bit her lip to stifle back her groans of pain. Gripping the fang she carefully continued forward, she felt Sesshomaru's claws tighten their hold on her leg as they carefully picked their ways through the moths to Tōtōsai's forge. If she remembered correctly these moths were Mongols, and they were sensors for their daiyōkai leader, who's name was currently slipping her mind. But she remembered he was extremely powerful and dangerous, and she was going to be careful.

"You will help me smith," she heard a menacing voice declare.

"No he won't," Rin snapped as she walked into the entrance of Tōtōsai's forge. The smith stared at her and if his impossibly large eyes didn'g bug out of his head already she was certain they were doing so now. But Rin didn't focus on Tōtōsai as she glared at the large creature who looked like that daiyōkai who had tried to destroy her homeland and enlist the help of her lord to do so. His red eyes narrowed dangerously and suddenly she remembered his name; Hyōga. She smiled now having power over this daiyōkai, the power of a name was a terrible and great thing to have over an enemy as her lord had taught her.

"And who are you; human?" he spat out in disgust as he glared dangerously at her and Sesshomaru.

"I am my lord's Rin and I have come not to fight you but I will if I have to, Hyōga." The moth flinched at hearing his name from her lips and she couldn't help but smile in satisfaction at seeing his uncertainty.

"You are interfering with things beyond your comprehension, human," Hyōga snarled at her.

"I believe that I understand the coming events far better than you do," Rin snapped thinking about Sesshomaru's history lessons. Everything she knew to come to pass it didn't matter if it was this creature or his son or another enemy the Inu no Taisho; regardless of who he was, would destroy Hyōga.

"Human!" the moth lunged for her but light lashed out from her knees then and stabbed the moth through his shoulder.

"Touch her and I'll kill you!" Sesshomaru snapped and she looked down at the pup. Now she saw every reminiscence of her lord from her time. The moth stared at the pup with a hatred she had seen before which had her snarling as she lifted Bakusagia ever so defiantly.

"You have no idea what you've instigated, pup, you've just started a war!" the moth spat out then he disappeared in a mass of moths. Rin snarled as she watched the moths disappear into the storm. Bastard, he dare threaten her lord! The pup was actually growling, Rin turned then slammed her blade into the fragile skin of the retreating weapons smith. Tōtōsai whimpered but stopped his retreating as he eyed her.

"You wouldn't harm a feeble old man," he whimpered.

"Want to bet your life on that?" Rin challenged him unceremoniously. The elder flinched but stopped his trembling. "I have need of your services and if you wish to live to the ripe old age I see in your future you will do exactly what I command."

"Who is this lord you serve, girl?" Tōtōsai demanded sharply and Rin pressed her fang a little harder against his pulse.

"I serve the Greatest Inu no Taisho to have ever lived and he has need of your services now," Rin said icily. It was a truth, she didn't serve InuTaisho but she did serve Sesshomaru-sama and he was the Greatest Inu no Taisho according to many in the inuyōkai clan.

"And what do you need of me?" Tōtōsai asked her cautiously.

"I need you to forge this blade," she emphasized her statement by pressing Bakusaiga closer to him, "with these," she pulled the pearl necklace she always wore beneath her robes out then. On the necklace was a blue claw of a tiger, and the fang she had pulled from her lord's mouth the night of her departure. There was a third thing she'd need but that was

"Let me see," Tōtōsai ordered and she tossed the fang in the air to hold the hilt to him. The smith took it then began examining her lord's fang carefully. Sesshomaru hugged her leg a little tighter as he watched the smith, she felt him growling threateningly as they watched Tōtōsai.

"The items please," Tōtōsai asked holding his hand out for them. Rin pulled the pearl necklace off of her to hand it to him as she carefully watched him. "Interesting, most interesting, this fang what is it called?"

"Bakusaiga," Rin answered lovingly. She loved that fang, it was a part of her lord and a part of her.

"Hm, if you do not mind I will forge these three items together but you should know you're missing one component to create this fang from these," Tōtōsai informed her. Rin blinked.

"There are only three things though needed to make the fang," Rin argued.

"No, this pearl is a part of Bakusaiga too," Tōtōsai said honestly and Rin just stared dumbly at him. The pearl was a part of the fang?

"You'll need dragons blood though to complete it's growth, do you have a host for it?"

"That is for me to know," Rin said tartly as she smiled remembering her lord obtaining the fang.

"Yes, it'll be difficult but a beautiful piece no doubt. I'll start on it immediately. Feel free to rest here while I work." Tōtōsai said happily as he examined Bakusaiga. Rin just about collapsed in exhaustion at the invitation of rest. smiling at Sesshomaru they went to sit near the fire, she fell asleep within seconds of her back resting against the forge wall.

* * *

**So Hungry...! Forgot about breakfast in my hast to write, note to self: don't do that again.  
**

**Anyways...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	109. Mysteries of You: Chapter 49

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Springing Back; Rebounding…_

* * *

**Chapter 49**

Sesshomaru watched the smith carefully as he sat on Rin's lap with her arms around him. The smith said nothing but Sesshomaru was watching out for his sleeping mate. Rin seemed so tired that he decided he'd guard her just until she woke up again. She always looked out for him so it was his turn now. And he wouldn't fail Rin, ever. He didn't want to fail her, she was so nice to him and not many liked him so he didn't want Rin to hate him. Carefully, because Rin still smelled like blood, it was horrid scent but it was sweet too for whatever reason.

"That's a lot of blood for a human to be losing," he looked up at the smith who was looking at his mate. Sesshomaru's lips curled back into a snarl threatening him should he come near her, Rin was fine; her heart was beating strong and steady.

"Come on pup, the human needs human care, there's a human village over this ridge I'll take her too, when she's well enough she can come collect what she ask me to make."

"Bakusaiga comes with me," Sesshomaru stated in a surly tone. He didn't like the idea of going to a human village but he agreed. Rin needed human help and he didn't know anything about humans, though it appeared that he was mated to one. Rin winced as she moved when he jarred her and he stiffened.

"Alright, let me get Mō-Mō for her," the elder decided as he walked away. Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder at Rin who was sleeping soundly, she wouldn't die on him. Would she? He was very scare of this because since meeting Rin he had learned that humans, though stubborn, were very fragile creatures. He had learned, because despite Rin's ability to hide her pain he knew that a too tight grip on her and he could break her. It was strange that someone like Rin was so fragile. The old man appeared again with a three eyed cow and walked over to his Rin.

He snarled when the elder shook her shoulder.

"Rin, time to go," Tōtōsai announced, Rin just groaned but opened her brown eyes reluctantly. Sesshomaru thought she had the prettiest eyes he had ever seen and yōkai had exotic eyes. However Rin's were beautiful and lively, he loved them because of how expressive they were.

"Alright, where's the fang?" Rin grumbled as she tried to stretch but he had yet to crawl off of her lap.

"It'll take some time, for the time being there's a human village you can rest in," Tōtōsai said softly.

"Thanks," Rin smiled as she stood up, he latched onto her hand instantly and Tōtōsai handed her Bakusaiga then. Sesshomaru didn't' get to growl as Rin tentatively took Tōtōsai's hand to help herself up off of the forge floor, his human must be hurting to accept help so he'd let her take the help. Once on the cow he clambered up after Rin and Tōtōsai as they were settled and Rin pulled him into her lap and smiled slightly at him as he yelped when the cow flew.

* * *

Rin stared at the world below her and had to admit that she missed flying, A-Un was a great flyer and he was fun in a race against her lord. A competition that they had often and made her laugh with delight. But she didn't laugh now as she held the pup in her arms as she sat atop a cow to fly towards a hated human village. Rin could never be fond of human villages, it just wasn't in her nature or her memories. The flight was quick and they landed on the outskirts of the village and she lowered Sesshomaru to the ground before she carefully slid off of the cow.

"I'll have your fang ready by the spring festival," Tōtōsai informed her and she looked to the older man.

"It shouldn't take that long to forge," Rin replied skeptically.

"It won't, this is the last winter storm and in the next moon or so the world will thaw to hold that human festival. I will bring your fang to you that night," Tōtōsai informed her and Rin nodded as she picked then knelt down t Sesshomaru and began wrapping him up to hid that distinguishing silver hair of his and his yōkai markings. Once he was safely wrapped up she started carefully walking to the human village. Her whole body was aching by the time they entered the village. Rin picked up the pup and continued walking through the quiet streets towards an inn.

"Hello? Is there anyone here?" Rin called out as she and Sesshomaru entered the inn, she set him on the ground but he didn't release her hand. An old woman shuffled then and looked at her. Rin smiled, she winced a bit because the wounds that blasted Toran had inflicted upon her were aching miserably. Strange that that had only happened two days ago.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, a room," Rin asked. "My…son, and I are in need of refuge. I can't pay you now but I'm willing to work here until the snow clears."

"Oh, you're bleeding!" the woman exclaimed and Rin looked down at her tattered garments.

"Yes, I am, bandits you see; haven't been able to escape them. They're after my husband's sword and I can't give it up," Rin lied smoothly though looking at her she knew she must be a scary sight to behold.

"You may hide here, no one will look for you here and I have a nice warm room you can use," the elder woman informed her. Rin smiled in relief as she picked up Sesshomaru again and carried him with her as she followed the elder into a warm room.

"I'll bring you some bandages and supplies to help seal your wounds," the woman said as she left. Rin never had a chance to thank the woman for her kindness as she sat near the fire and slowly started pulling her garments off. The frozen blood all froze the material to her body and it hurt to peel it away.

"Go rest in that corner Sesshomaru, I'll be fine," Rin assured the pup who reluctantly curled up on a futon under the covers to watch her. The old woman appeared again and gasped, Rin looked over at the woman who was staring at Rin's exposed body.

"Kami have mercy, what happened to you?" the old woman demanded breathlessly as she stared at the wounds. Rin looked at her body, the slashes, the cuts, the frozen angry red bloody wounds, and the bruises staining her light colored skin were all horrific to look at but Rin smiled slightly at the woman.

"It's not as bad as it looks, but it is sore; I'll be alright," Rin promised looking over to the bundle peeking at her with glowing amber eyes from beneath the blanket.

"Well sit still young one, I'll help you and you'll be all healed by the festival," the elder promised and Rin gingerly moved to sit so they could start bandaging her battered body. Hopefully, there'd be no yōkai after her for a while. Rin looked over to where Sesshomaru peeked out watching her, and smiled.

"Such a brave woman, well no one will hurt you while you're here, no they won't. your son and you can rest easy, my son is on guard and everything will be alright!" the old woman muttered determinedly and reassuringly. Rin said nothing as she was patched up again.

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**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	110. Mysteries of You: Chapter 50

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Springing Back; Rebounding…_

* * *

**Chapter 50**

The weeks passed, the world here began warming, and her wounds healed. It wasn't a quick as a yōkai healing, it would never be that quick but her body healed steadily and quickly for a human. By the end of the fifteenth day there were only purple marks marring her skin and she could live with that, there were no open bleeding wounds, and there was no bruises marring her skin. However she felt rather like a tiger with all these purple fading scars angrily slashing across her skin, still these would pale with time and though she had a feeling that she'd always have the scars she could live with them. She wasn't vain enough to care about the scars, after all she could still see the scars of her first death though those too were faint.

"Can we go hunting?" Sesshomaru asked, Rin shifted the material she had falling off her shoulders to cover her exposed chest again.

"Today we can," Rin submitted then. For the past two weeks her lord had been itching to get outside but he had also refused to leave her side. She knew that it was merely in his nature to be restless, to be a wanderer and even though he was a pup it appeared that that was a core part of his personality. Rin could live with that. But the past two weeks she had needed time to heal, to let her battered human body rest. And Sesshomaru had stubbornly stayed by her side, though he was driving her to insanity because he was so restless.

The pup then scrambled to his stuff and began yanking on his garments. Rin said nothing as she again looked at the marks then sighed as she found appropriate garb to wear for a hunt. Carefully she slid Bakusaiga on it's perch on her hip before deciding she was ready to exit the room. The elder woman, Yuki, was waiting for her as she and Sesshomaru (who was disguised still) walked out of the room and into the hall.

"Where are you two going?" Yuki demanded, Rin turned around and smiled.

"Hunting, I think it's time I help return your kindness, my son and I will catch you some food since your supplies seem to be dwindling with the amount of travelers you're taking in," Rin answered. Knowing that were a lot of guests here wasn't all that hard to notice because the food proportions for her meals were cut little by little and the noise in the inn seemed to increase daily. From what Rin was able to hear she'd guess that there were at least ten children running around here, five adults, and two elders; and that was just the additional coming travelers, Yuki's family was also nice and large. It also appeared that Yuki's son was not that skilled of a hunter returning with one or two rabbits, Rin was certain that a large amount of meat until spring came would make life for Yuki as an innkeeper much easier.

"But your injuries," Yuki started.

"I can assure you that I will be fine, and I need to get outside," Rin said reassuringly as they trailed behind Sesshomaru who was walking as quickly as he could to the exit of the inn.

"But what about the bandits?"

"Now that I am at least healed I should be able to handle a problem if it should arise, besides my husband taught me much about defending myself," Rin replied. It felt strange to refer to her lord as her husband, especially when he was a child in front of her, but she couldn't think of an alternative lie for this human. And it wasn't too far off of the actual truth, just Sesshomaru was not her son; he was her mate. Which was still slightly odd to her but she ignored the oddness of that truth. She had learned that mates were much more than spouses or lovers or friends.

"Oh, well I do not wish for you to strain yourself on our account we will be quite alright young lady," Yuki assured her. Rin smiled.

"I have no doubt of that ma'am but I'd still like to help if I can." Rin wasn't going to back away from this. Besides, if Sesshomaru didn't get outside for a little bit she'd strangle him because he wouldn't stop pacing the room they were staying in. Sesshomaru was just too restless, and she couldn't handle her stir crazy mate when he was a pup, at least when he grew up he'd hide his restlessness a little better.

"Alright, just be safe young one," Yuki insisted. Rin smiled.

"We'll be alright and we'll have a wonderfully large dinner tonight!" Rin declared as she picked up the quiver of arrows and the bow before following Sesshomaru into the snow.

* * *

Yuki just smiled as she watched the girl walk out into the white forest. It was strange but she felt a kinship with the young woman, the girl who looked so like her daughter. Rie had been such a beautiful child, and Rin and Rie had the same large expressive brown eyes, the same lips, the same wild, long, thick, ever tangled midnight black hair, the same face and the same mannerisms. If Yuki hadn't known her daughter had died as a child she'd have thought Rie to have grown up to look like Rin.

But alas that could not be, Rie had been killed by wolves when she had been eight. Yuki had buried her only daughter twenty years ago after a hunter returned her daughter's body. Perhaps young Rin was a reincarnation of Rie, a different life where her daughter had lived, but Yuki only felt that to be a dream. However the feeling of kinship and mothering Rin sparked within her had long since been thought dormant, so perhaps…

Perhaps there really was such a thing as reincarnation.

If that were the case then she hoped Rie's second life was a wonderful life, a beautiful thing and she hoped, desperately hoped the girl returned to the time she belonged. It was clear that though Rin was very similar to Rie, Rin did not belong in this time for bandits were not running rampant here like the young one had claimed. Also that yōkai child was not her son, Yuki could almost swear to seeing a thin little red thread binding the woman to the child, it made her smile.

Just maybe that was Rie, and just maybe she was happy in her second life.

* * *

**Sorry for the lack of updates on everything else but I have a valid reason and I'll tell you lot about it later, right now I have other work to attend to before I get a moment to write some more. When I have time I'll do a Mass Update.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	111. Mysteries of You: Chapter 51

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Festive:** _Cheerful and Exciting; suited to a celebration or holiday…_

* * *

**Chapter 51**

Sesshomaru just stood there looking over the gathering yōkai, though their numbers would not be as large as the humans they far out powered the humans. Projectile weapons or not, yōkai abilities were far superior to humans, they would not have massive losses. Not to be arrogant, but Sesshomaru could take this army and destroy them all with a mere flick of his wrist. There was more power, untapped power, in his claws than what the humans were rallying for a fight. Still, as he stood there atop the tree he looked down at the gathering yōkai. The Clans, it wasn't all the yōkai but these were the 'evolved' ones, the ones who were willing to gather for a fight and to follow his plan for their future.

"How certain are you that this'll work?" his gaze slid over to his half-brother.

"Hn," he answered as he looked over the yōkai again.

"That is not a reassuring answer Sesshomaru," Inuyasha persisted and Sesshomaru frowned. There really wasn't anything that he could say, there was no guarantees that his plan would work. But there was also no guarantee that his plan would fail miserably. It was time to improvise, as Rin had once told him, and while improvising was not the best feelings it was effective when done correctly. And Kami knew Rin was the professional at improvising, he was just going to follow his mate's lead and hope for the best. But he was prepared for the worst.

"Inuyasha, this is not a guarantee but this is the best plan that I have because of the information I have been given by your mate," Sesshomaru answered icily. Kagome was hostile to him, she hadn't been before Rin had turned fifteen, the moment Rin had her first cycle Kagome had turned into a hostile female. Then he turned equal hostile when she started trying to pair his mate off with that brat or the kitsune cub, so their talk was more of yanking out fangs and poisoning one another than a talk.

"You know, Kagome isn't that bad and if you would explain what a mating bond is then perhaps you two wouldn't try to kill one another," Inuyasha said and Sesshomaru lifted a brow.

"I explain a mating bond when you haven't?" Sesshomaru challenged. If Inuyasha have never fully explained it to Kagome then he didn't have to have that talk again. He had had it once with Rin, just before the last time he saw the woman before he met the child. That one time talk was more than enough for himself and the woman he had loved, Rin knew what the bond was and how deep it was so he had never really needed to talk about it with her.

"Alright, perhaps if I was more _**in depth**_ about _**what**_ a mate was it wouldn't be this bad. But Sesshomaru, you have to admit that your snarling and growling doesn't help when she'd just trying to look out for Rin. It might be misguided but she's trying to help Rin out," Inuyasha said softly. Sesshomaru didn't dispute that especially when Rin held respect for the miko.

"You know, Kagome was really mad one day. She had asked Rin what her ideal husband would be like and Rin," Inuyasha chuckled. "Rin said she didn't need an ideal husband, she was marrying you, and Kagome just about died on the spot. Shippo and I were laughing on the ground and Rin, Rin was completely serious as she stood there not understanding what was so funny. Just like you never explain anything to Kagome, when Rin tried she never listened. I understand, Kagome's stubborn and wants everything to go her way but you and Rin are equally stubborn in your desires to never explain anything to anyone."

"It was never Kagome's business, and Rin's been mine long before Kagome even entered our time," Sesshomaru stated firmly. Then he looked at the yōkai before leaping away from his brother and bounding through the forest. He needed to be alone, he needed to be gone, he needed time alone with the memories coming to him as he raced through the forest. It was important to him to remember Rin, it was always important to remember the woman and child he loved but he couldn't think about them without having his beast running close to the surface. It hurt, Kami did it hurt to be alone without her again, but he had a feeling he'd be alone for a long time again until he saw Rin again.

'_My lord,' the girl he yanked out of the well blinked at him._

'_Rin,' he answered as he stared at her. She smiled._

He closed his eyes when he stopped running, his heart though cursed with Magatsuhi's curse was breaking because he missed Rin. However he should get used to it, the first time she left him when he had been a pup he had wanted to perish. The second time she had left him he had been curious about what her 'mission' was. The third time she had left him he had let her go, he had to and he had been desperate for her. The fourth time she had left him had been when the wolves had killed her, he hadn't even known she had left him. The fifth time she had left him he had shattered while holding her small, dead body in his arm. And the sixth time she had left him he didn't' know when he'd get to see her again.

Kami did it hurt though, he was dying and aching in ways he couldn't even explain to anyone. And it wasn't that fading curse, it was Rin being gone from him. But knowing her, she'd come back to him. She always promised to, she would always return to him.

'_Rin!'_

'_Sesshomaru-sama, I promise I'll always return to you, but it might take me a while to return to you,' Rin informed him. She kissed his brow and then she was gone._

"Come back Rin," he whispered to the wind, "Please."

* * *

**Little sappy but my brain function is low at the moment, need food, caffeine, and sleep (not in that order but those are my needs at this moment). I think with my stomach, and right now I'm starved so off to eat! I'll update later!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	112. Mysteries of You: Chapter 52

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Festive:** _Cheerful and Exciting; suited to a celebration or holiday…_

* * *

**Chapter 52**

The hunt, it was definitely different. Sesshomaru had leapt into his yōkai form to tear after a boar who had been wandering in the snow. Rin merely shook her head in exasperation as she followed after the pup. Pups, children, they really were practically one in the same, the only difference was that pups followed their noses and could easily be sidetracked by the simplest of smells. And with Sesshomaru, he was just happy to be free to run. Rin silently stalked a few rabbits, and in shot a few fish in the thawing stream, she also caught two birds and snared a fox which she released. Sesshomaru returned with two boars and a piglet.

"Rin, where are you from?" Sesshomaru asked her as they rested beside the stream.

"Huh?" Rin stiffened to look over at the pup.

"You never said," he defended.

"I'm not from anywhere, Sesshomaru, I'm a wanderer," she admitted. It was the truth. The longest she had ever stayed in one spot was in the Edo village and that wasn't including all those hunting trips, the camping trips, the traveling, those three moons a year she spent with the inuyōkai , and the twenty or so times she had run away before Inuyasha had dragged her back to Edo over his shoulder. Though Kaede and Kagome both scolded her mercilessly, her lord had smirked at her and told her to try harder. And she would, she had, and it had landed her in the life of time traveling.

"Oh," Sesshomaru looked thoughtful for a moment before an evil grin spread his childish features. She repressed her laughter at the sight for even as a pup his smile was rare and fleeting and usually an arrogant smirk or evil grin when it appeared. "When I'm bigger I'm going to be a wanderer too!"

"Is that so?" Rin challenged.

"Yes, I'm going to see everything and defeat all the biggest yōkai there are!" Sesshomaru declared and Rin smiled knowing he'd achieve that desire.

"Mm-hmm, well if that's the case I think we'll have to find you a dragon," Rin said heartfully.

"Why?" Sesshomaru blinked owlishly as he tried to figure that out. Rin just repressed her laughter as she smiled at the old memories racing through her mind of her, A-Un, Sesshomaru and Jaken traveling together. She was happiest as a child when she was traveling with her pack, those three were forever her pack and they made her feel loved. Jaken with his incessant badgering, belittling, pestering, shouting, crying, and screaming, A-Un for his companionship, and her lord for her refuge, they had all made her pack.

"Because, dragons are the most loyal and commanding of companions, also they're good company," Rin mused.

"Hn," he sounded confused by this but she only smiled. Kami how she missed A-Un!

Ruffling Sesshomaru's silver hair she stood again to pick up her rabbits, fish and birds, Sesshomaru dragged his boars after him as they made their way back to the village. Before they left forest Rin knelt over Sesshomaru and hid him again. It wouldn't do for everyone in this village to know that she was caring for and protecting a yōkai pup. They'd more than likely panic and try to kill her along with Sesshomaru and in turn Sesshomaru would destroy the entire village. That wouldn't do, and there was also the festival to think about because she wanted to take her lord to a human festival. He would probably enjoy it, provided he didn't lose his temper and destroy everything within the immediate vicinity.

"Rin?"

"Hm?"

"What's a festival?" Sesshomaru asked her and she stopped.

"Haven't you been to a festival?" Rin questioned. She was certain that despite him not being a pack inuyōkai he'd have at least been to a festival. Then again Sesshomaru had never gone with her to any of the important events that his mother had organized. It was possible that his antisocial behavior was to the extreme and he wouldn't like a festival. But she had a feeling that all children liked festivals: sweets.

"Hn," he shot a lethal glare at her.

"A festival is a human celebration, rather like a party and is fun," Rin answered as they walked into the inn.

"Oh," he replied as they walked into the kitchen. Yuki gaped at all of their kills, Rin just smiled at the woman then shrugged as she walked away as she scooped her lord up onto her hip. Sesshomaru didn't talk as they made it to their room. Rin set him on his futon and then sat beside him. He yanked off his disguise.

"Rin, do you want to go to a festival?" Sesshomaru asked her.

"I think it'll be fun," Rin answered as she stretched out her body and shed a few layers of garments off her body because the fire was warming her. Before she overheated she was happily dressed in the lighter garments beneath her layers. Sesshomaru stared at her with wide curious eyes as they sat there warming up beside the fire.

"Why?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Why is a festival fun?" Rin clarified, he nodded. "Well, there's lots of food…so much food," she smiled at the thought, Rin had always been a creature to follow her stomach and she loved food. "There's this atmosphere that's happy and fun and alive," Rin answered as she stretched out on the futon. "And people are always nicest during the time of a festival," Rin said honestly she didn't like people as a whole but she didn't mind them as much on festivals. They were much kinder and happier then. Sesshomaru just thought about it as they lay there.

"Will you go with me?" Sesshomaru asked. Rin just propped herself up as she stared at the pup.

"Certainly, it'll be fun," Rin answered as she lay there. He stretched out so her stomach was his pillow and they didn't move at all. She lifted her head, he was sound asleep, she smirked as she fell back on the futon. So the little heat monster was sound asleep, about damn time! Rin sighed as she let her head fall back and her eyes shut. She finally had a chance to sleep without his mokomoko swishing around or him pacing the room or running around on the ceiling or practicing his flying. Sesshomaru was not meant to be in confined spaces for longer than a day, she could live with that but she couldn't sleep with it.

* * *

**Hey Everyone, so over the course of the weekend I'm going to finish up Part III: Mysteries of You so expect a few updates on this piece a day because I'll post them as I go. **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same!**


	113. Mysteries of You: Chapter 53

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Festive:** _Cheerful and Exciting; suited to a celebration or holiday…_

* * *

**Chapter 53**

Sesshomaru thought that it was all odd, how these humans were acting for this festival. Even Rin was helping as she enlisted him to help her in hunting. Sesshomaru liked the hunting but he didn't know what to think about the coming festival. And Rin seemed indifferent one way or the other. Which only further confused him because his human was usually easy to read. Now she was being difficult which had him wanting to snap and snarl at everyone around him.

However he was curious about this festival.

Sesshomaru knew he was a curious creature, it was his fatal flaw according to his father but it couldn't seem to be helped. He desperately wanted to know about these humans and what they were celebrating. After all, Rin was human and he didn't really understand her so perhaps if he were to understand humans he'd understand the human a little better. Not that it was helping at this moment while he sat with Rin who was carefully folding paper cranes. He had tried, but it appeared that he did not have the patience or delicate touch to create these beautiful paper creatures.

"Rin?"

"Hm?"

"How many of these are you going to make?" Sesshomaru asked as he picked up the newest one to look it over. It was beautiful to him but he couldn't figure out how to pull it apart so that it'd be back to that square of paper Rin had started with.

"One thousand," Rin answered. Sesshomaru looked around the room then looked to Rin who was patiently folding the paper.

"You're going to be at it for a while," he informed her. She laughed, which warmed his heart.

"Yes, but you see, all things worth having in life are worth the time it takes to obtain them," Rin informed him. He blinked at that mysterious look in her dark eyes, it was as if she were far, far away despite being here with him.

"Why one thousand?" he asked.

"A peculiar miko I know, she claims that if I were to make a thousand of these my wish can be granted, at least according to her story it's a possibility," Rin informed him. "Between you and me though I thought it would be pretty," Rin whispered as she continued her work. He just looked at the cranes she had done. This would take a long time if she didn't have help. Carefully Sesshomaru sat beside her and began copying her folds, his cranes weren't as pretty as hers but Rin seemed pleased with them. It made him happy as they sat there in companionable silence.

Why did it feel like Rin was going to be leaving him?

He peeked at the human but she said nothing as she steadily worked through the day. It was about a seven days before this festival, he didn't know if he wanted it to come or not. It was scary to think that Rin might leave him. But she hadn't ever said she'd be staying. He looked to the white sheath of Bakusaiga and then he looked back to Rin who didn't look at him.

"Sesshomaru," he looked fully at her then. Rin bit her lip and then she tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear, he just stared at her as she did the familiar gesture. "I'm going to have to leave soon."

His hear sunk but he couldn't look away from her.

"But when I leave it's not goodbye, we'll be together again one day, but I have to save my lord and to do that I'm going to have to leave you for a while," Rin informed him. He just glared down at his lap now. Rin tilted his chin up then, he glared at her because he was hurting at her words.

"I know I'm hurting you, I know I'm breaking your heart with this but Sesshomaru-sama, I promise this isn't the end. We'll be together and one day we'll be together for forever. But not right now, I wish I could stay, I do but after Tōtōsai gives me what I came for then I must return to where we first met and continue my journey," Rin said softly.

"But you promised to take me to the festival," he pointed out and his human smiled softly then.

"I did, and we're going but I know how difficult goodbyes and partings are for you so I thought to tell you now rather than mysteriously leave you. I won't always get to say goodbye when we part but when I can say goodbye I'm always going to say it." He liked that she was being honest with him but it still hurt as he glared into those dark eyes.

"You promise me you'll never leave me?" he demanded.

"Sesshomaru, even if I leave I'm here," she poked his chest over his heart, "and I haven't left yet. But you need to know that I will leave you to save you. I want you to understand that."

"Alright," he grudgingly accepted this.

"However, I'm still here and it's time we continue these cranes so you can make a wish," Rin said cheerfully. He frowned, he was now certain that she had told him she was leaving so he knew what to wish for. And it would never change for a thousand years.

Sesshomaru smiled slightly as he peeked up at Rin, his human. He loved her, and it was a love he didn't understand as a pup, he was already eager for when he would see Rin again, and as he clumsily helped her make the cranes he knew what he was going to wish for. He had a feeling even Rin knew what he'd wish for as they again sat in a companionable silence. At least Rin was honest with him and she loved him still, it was something which he found happiness as they continued to help for this festival.

* * *

**Two more chapters tonight!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	114. Mysteries of You: Chapter 54

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Festive:** _Cheerful and Exciting; suited to a celebration or holiday…_

* * *

**Chapter 54**

Rin lived the next seven days with knowing that she was hurting her lord but as a pup she didn't want him to think she had abandoned him. So she had decided to give him time, time to come to terms with her leaving, and though it hadn't been perfect it had worked in calming her breaking heart. But tonight was the night to celebrate life as she scrubbed the ebony ink dye into Sesshomaru's silver hair. The markings on his face were merely markings for the celebration but if he were to walk out with silver hair it'd be obvious that he wasn't a human child and would probably be chased out of the festival.

"What are we doing with the cranes?" Sesshomaru asked her.

"Did you make your wish?" Rin asked, he nodded. "Then I am certain Yuki would be pleased to receive these as a thank you for permitting us to stay in her inn without paying."

"Hn," he looked disgruntled over her statement as she finished with his hair. Now to fix that sash of his, Rin thought as she started on her task. Sesshomaru just looked disgruntled, she just smiled remembered all the times he had clumsily helped her with her own obi when she had been a child and traveling with him.

"There, perfect, you look like an Aristocratic Assassin now," she mused and he perked up a bit at hearing that. Rin stood, he grabbed the cranes as he walked out of the room. He came back into the room then and grabbed her hand, she chuckled at this as he dragged her and the cranes out of their room.

"Good evening Yuki, Sesshomaru has a gift he wishes to give you and your family for your hospitality," Rin said when they walked into the kitchen where Yuki was. The elder woman looked from her to the antsy Sesshomaru who looked uncertain as he shoved the cranes at the old woman.

"Sesshomaru!" Rin snapped, he frown but she won because she knew he had manners. His expressing his manners was iffy but he had them and by Kami if she had to act like a mother and scold him until he surrendered then so be it but he would be polite tonight!

"Thank you for your hospitality," Sesshomaru said, he didn't bow but he never would so she decided that that was good enough for him. Yuki just stared at the cranes she had in her hands and her eyes watered as she stared at them.

"They're beautiful, thank you, and you are always welcomed in my family's inn," Yuki said and then they turned to walk out of the kitchens to observe the festival.

"Rin! You cannot go to the festival dressed like that! You look like a beggar!" Rin looked over her shoulder at Yuki's gasp. Sesshomaru snickered, Rin frown at the pup who looked innocent then. She wasn't falling for it. "Come young one, we must get you cleaned up. I cannot permit you to sully the name of my inn with your appearance!"

Rin was dragged off with the elder woman before she could protest. She was stripped and shoved into a tube, Rin yelped at the icy, soapy water she fell into then. Rough hands scrubbed her thick hair mercilessly and quickly, then water was dropped over her head again. Rin gasped for air as she finally clawed her way out of the tub. Yuki was quick to dry her, which was unsettling to Rin because she was accustomed to doing everything by herself, Sesshomaru had raised her to be self-efficient and she had never had helped bathing aside from after her first death and a few weeks following. She had a feeling Sesshomaru had only helped her to rid her of the scent of wolves and death (because even Jaken could smell it and he complained about it loudly).

"You're healing up well," Yuki commented, Rin never removed her arms from around her breasts.

"Still tender," Rin admitted.

"Of course, even you will need more time to heal despite your differences," Yuki said.

Rin stiffened as she glanced nervously over to the woman who was just smiling softly.

"It's nothing to be ashamed about, my daughter was a good friend with a kitsune before they were killed, I learned to see when a person was different or not…human. You're not completely human and that child is no more your son than I your mother, he's a yōkai isn't he?"

"Yes," Rin answered honestly.

"Don't worry young one, I'll be telling no one about this," Yuki informed her as she started rummaging through the cabinets. "Ah here it is," Yuki pulled out a beautiful old wooden box and Rin stared at the woman.

"My family has a tradition, when a girl in our family is to marry we present them with this kimono to be married in. It's for fertility and longevity and for a happy marriage, if my daughter Rie had lived I'd have given this to her." The elder woman sighed looking distant and Rin stared at the woman. "But she died when she was a child, killed by wolves, her and the kitsune who had marked her. You do not have the same mark my daughter did, but that mark on your neck is no scar. Now I know it's a little late to give this to you, seeing as how that mark makes you a married woman, but I want you to have it. I see lots or Rie in you and I believe that this should go to you. I have no daughters or granddaughters to give this to, and my sons will never understand it's significance so please; please accept this as a thank you for the closure you have given me by living Rin."

"I can't take this," Rin said when Yuki showed her the kimono.

"Please, it's mine to give and though you never knew Rie it should belong to you, you are a lot like her," Yuki said and Rin stared at the elder woman. "I'm certain he will like it on you too, child or not," Yuki said.

"That's low, using my lord to make me take this beautiful heirloom," Rin grumbled.

"It would please me if you just accepted it and let me help you wear it," Yuki said smugly. Rin just sighed, she wasn't going to win this so she would just surrender. Still she felt guilt as Yuki helped her pull on the beautiful kimono.

* * *

**One More Chapter Tonight!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	115. Mysteries of You: Chapter 55

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Festive:** _Cheerful and Exciting; suited to a celebration or holiday…_

* * *

**Chapter 55**

Her hair was up, the ordainments decorating her hair were heavy and her Kimono was properly done when she walked out into the main living area where Sesshomaru was waiting for her. The pup stared at her with wide eyes, just looked her over then. Rin walked to her room, she picked up Bakusaiga and slid it into her obi before she walked out of the room. The kimono was silver, blue with tints of green and red in the material, and there was a purple sash which matched Bakusaiga. She felt odd dressed like this but she also felt beautiful, even if she had managed to refuse the shoes, as she walked out to where Sesshomaru was still sitting and waiting for her. She offered him her hand and he took it.

"Thank you Yuki," Rin bowed to the woman and the elder smiled. Rin smiled in return as they walked out of the inn and into the festival.

It was fun, it was unexpected fun for Rin as Sesshomaru asked her questions and looked around. She even lifted him to her hip so he could see the festival at times. Though it didn't do much good because she too was small in height. Sesshomaru enjoyed himself though, at least she was certain of that. Then they came to a merchant stand, something caught Rin's eye which had her walking over there. Sesshomaru followed her to the stand.

"This," Rin pointed to the stone which looked like scales, it looked like the eggs Sesshomaru had shown her to belong to dragons.

"Ah, a beautiful item, my lady, this is a dragon's egg.

"I know, I would like it," Rin answered honestly.

"This is not an easy item to come by and will cost you heavily," the merchant claimed.

"What?" Rin asked.

"That blade on your hip," the merchant answered Rin frowned.

"If you can hold it then you can have it," Rin decided knowing Bakusaiga had her lord's surly temper and wouldn't be handled by anyone else.

"And if I cannot hold it?"

"I get the egg for free," Rin answered with a seductive smile. She felt her lord grip her kimono tighter as he watched them. The merchant smiled.

"Deal, now hand it over," the merchant ordered.

"Remember, you asked for it," Rin murmured as she pulled her lord's fang from her obi and handed it to the merchant. The man snatched Bakusaiga up and was writhing on the ground screaming in pain even after having dropped it to the dirt. Sesshomaru snatched up the fang and handed it to her, Rin slid it into her obi and awaited the man to recover from the attack of Bakusaiga.

"Just take the egg!" the man hissed in pain as he continued to lay in the dirt. Rin picked up the egg and walked away with Sesshomaru. She examined the egg carefully, there were no cracks in the shell and if it were to rest in a bed of fire it would hatch no doubt. Rin smiled, this was A-Un, she just knew it and it was about time; Sesshomaru had always claimed the dragon to be a gift. Well, it was apparently a gift from herself to Sesshomaru.

"Rin, why do you want a dragon's egg?" Sesshomaru asked her.

"Because Sesshomaru, this is my parting gift to you," Rin said as they walked out of the village beneath the full moon to where Tōtōsai had dropped them off.

"I don't want a dragon!" Sesshomaru informed her promptly.

"Ah, you may not want a dragon but I can personally assure you that you need a dragon," Rin informed her young lord. The pup glared at the egg.

"But why do I need a dragon?" he demanded sharply.

"Why wouldn't you want a dragon? Dragons are loyal and loving and perhaps one day your mate will need a dragon," she pointed out as he held the egg in his hands. He stared owlishly at her.

"Fine, I'll take the dragon," he grumbled. She smirked. He just grabbed the egg as they continued their walk. Rin picked the pup up as she carefully walked up the hill. Tōtōsai was waiting for her and Sesshomaru when they walked up to the meeting spot. Rin set her lord to the ground and he was still intently studying the egg, and she smiled as she walked to greet the smith.

"Rin," Tōtōsai greeted her.

"Tōtōsai," Rin replied. She held her hand out, he placed it in her hand then, it was a perfect balance of black, blue, and silver swirled together to look like the canine fang of her lord's true form. It was the size of her pinky though and she looked to him.

"If you are trying to replicate this fang, then you will need Dragon's blood, and a host, also a means of exit and a life snatched from an irreversible death." Tōtōsai informed her.

"I know, do not worry about it because this is all a part of my plan. Now would you mind returning me and Sesshomaru to Inuyōkai territory and then I have a second place I will need you to take me after I have returned Sesshomaru and his new dragon to his father and mother, as I promised." Rin waited for his answer but there was a curious gleam in Tōtōsai's eyes as he thought this over. Rin knew that she'd win out and have what she requested but she'd be patient waiting for his answer. Unlike her lord; unless necessary she did not like to threaten those she asked for help into submission.

"Alright, you have yourself a deal Rin."

"No! You can't leave me!" Sesshomaru cried out as he ran over to her.

"How about I take you to your second location and then I'll take young Sesshomaru to the Master." Tōtōsai's suggestion calmed Sesshomaru and Rin decided that it would have to do so she could again leap down hole which would take her to her time.

"Alright, but we must hurry I have to complete my task," Rin said calmly. Sesshomaru didn't argue with her as she picked him up to walk over to the three eyed bull. Tōtōsai hopped up and she set Sesshomaru on the bull and then she carefully sat up on the bull before they were flying again. Her arms wrapped around Sesshomaru and her heart broke as she knew she was leaving him soon but this time she wasn't running from him to leap down that well.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	116. Mysteries of You: Chapter 56

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Parting:**_ A Place or Point where a Division or Separation Occurs…_

* * *

**Chapter 56**

They landed in the field Rin had asked to land in and she slid off of the bull. Her bare feet touched the new grass and she looked towards the unmarked well.

"Rin!" Sesshomaru leapt down after her. Her heart broke a bit when he grabbed her hand and she continued towards the hole. It was time for her to continue her journey alone, she so desperately wished she didn't have to leave him but she had to go. It was important that she continue her quest so her lord would live, Magatsuhi's curse couldn't win, and if creating Bakusaiga was the key to that somehow then so be it. She would do just that. Still, she didn't like hurting Sesshomaru and she really hated leaving him at this moment because he was such a small pup.

"We're here," Rin informed the pup as they stopped at the lip of the hole which would take her through time again. The pup looked down the hole and Rin smiled a bit as she crouched down beside him.

"When I'm from this is a well, a thing of myth and legend for it devours the bones of dead yōkai. But lately, this is what has been helping me with my journeys," Rin informed him as she hugged her knees. The pup looked skeptical as he glared at her. Rin just smiled and tucked another stray strand of his hair behind his elfin ear. "This is how we continue to meet, I'll return to you again and one day I'll be with you forever but for the time being I have to save my lord."

"It's a hole in the ground Rin," Sesshomaru informed her matter-of-factly.

"Yes," she mused, "yes it is. But sometimes the simplest of things are the most powerful. Now I must be off, we'll see one another again and until then Sesshomaru know that I love you with all my heart and being," Rin murmured as she moved those bangs to kiss his crescent moon marking his royal heritage.

"Please don't go Rin!" he grabbed her sleeve then and she sighed.

"I have to go, I'm not leaving you for I'd never do that, and Sesshomaru I'm always in here," she poked his heart just as her father had done for her when she had been little. "And I'll see you again, one day but I have to go."

"Rin, you promise to come back to me?"

"I swear it upon my life," she assure him then she stood, looked down the hole. Well, here went nothing, she had the fang she had asked for hanging around her neck and she was dressed in a beautiful kimono but she was leaving. It was time to go. She had Bakusaiga and the fang, now she was gone. Rin leapt into the hole, she was again swallowed up by the familiar nothingness but the stars and void.

* * *

Sesshomaru watched as Rin disappeared, he leapt down the hole after her but he only landed on the floor of the hole. She wasn't here, he looked around for her but she wasn't here. How was that possible? Sesshomaru leapt out of the well, he was still holding the egg Rin had given him as he looked down the well. Where had Rin gone? She had promised him that they would be reunited so perhaps this hole in the ground was the answer for that. She had said it was a well once, perhaps he should ask someone to build a well here so that this hole wasn't lost.

Reluctantly he walked back to the bull and the smith waiting for him. He didn't let go of the gift Rin had given him as he hopped up on the bull and then they were flying. They landed in the courtyard of his mother's home, InuKimi was waiting for him when he leapt to the ground. He didn't dare to look at his mother as he walked up to her. Standing before her he kept his head bowed waiting for her to scold him but it hadn't come. Cautiously he peeked up to his mother who was standing there with her hands hidden in her sleeves.

"Where is Rin?" InuKimi asked.

He bowed his head again because there was no way he could answer that without crying so he would not be answering it. Instead he walked past his mother and walked towards his quarters. So this was to be a dragon, he'd have to place the egg in fire if he wanted it to hatch but he felt that that would be a waste of time. Then again Rin wanted him to have the dragon so he would have to hatch the stupid thing. Why Rin wanted him to have a dragon was still beyond him but he would do as she had asked.

After all Rin knew more than he did and his mate seemed to be sure that he needed a dragon. Perhaps she knew why he would need a dragon. Sesshomaru decided he'd trust Rin in this matter as he carefully put the egg in the fire pit in his quarters then he sat to wait.

* * *

InuKimi sighed, so the human had done just as she had promised. But it appeared that the human had also left. It wasn't surprising to her as she hadn't expected the human to stay here because the girl was on a mission. Internally it pained her that he was hurting this much but Rin would come again, she had no doubt that the woman would always return to his son. The woman was unusually loyal to her son and faithful woman, InuKimi sensed as much. she also felt the way the girl's heart beat in time with her son's, it made her curious. It was clear to her that there was much that needed to happen, still she couldn't help but feel curious about the walking ghost who's heart beat in time with her son's.

What would cause that in a human?

* * *

**Few more chapters of this today then tomorrow I'll have a real Mass Update of EVERYTHING! Rain for Tears, Only Tears, Irresistible Pain, Because I Love You, Wrong Number, But Don't Hang Up!, Until the Day I Die, and Trying Not the Neuter Him will ALL Be Receiving An Update On Monday! But today, I'm Wrapping Up Part III: Mysteries of You!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	117. Mysteries of You: Chapter 57

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Parting:**_ A Place or Point where a Division or Separation Occurs…_

* * *

**Chapter 57**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Kagome was trembling in a mixture of rage and fear as she read over those journals, the scrolls weren't off limits as Sango had thought. The only thing asked of her was that she return them where she found them and what she was reading had her worrying.

'_Izayoi miscarried the pup today, she just cried as I held her. It would've been a daughter if carried to term, Izayoi insisted we name her before we buried her, Miho was her name and what he marked on a small stone at her hidden grave within the inuyōkai territory. Who knew losing someone you never knew could hurt so badly? I never lost a pup, but today I lost the first and I couldn't bare it._

'_The pain of this loss is something I must hide, but I have a feeling my ever perceptive son will notice my pain. Sesshomaru will either exploit this or ignore it, I hope the latter because I do not have the energy to deal with his attitude as of late. He is unusually surly._

'_I've discussed this matter with InuKimi, she assures me that Sesshomaru is out as of late. He has never been the same since Rin disappeared, I even find myself missing the little walking ghost. If she had been here would I have lost Miho? Would Izayoi have never miscarried? Would I be a father again within a few short moons? I will never but I hope to see the walking ghost again, she would brighten Izayoi's spirits considerably. She would also tame Sesshomaru again. How is it that one human girl holds more power over my son than my entire clan, he nearly destroyed everyone in his sparring practice last time._

'_Perhaps Izayoi and I should try for another pup, perhaps another pup will brighten her spirits.'_

What was written had ripped her heart apart as she read it over, so Inuyasha was not the first child of Izayoi and InuTaisho, there had been a daughter, Miho. Kagome just sniffled at that then her eyes narrowed again at the name Rin, just what had the girl done? She shouldn't even be traveling in time! But according to these journals Rin had appeared when Sesshomaru had been a pup, when Izayoi had lived as far as she had read. It was disconcerting for her because Rin should not even be destined to travel through time.

After all it wasn't like the girl was the holder of the Shikon no Tama or a reincarnation of someone important. She was merely Rin and she was nothing more than that, not that there was something wrong with that but Rin was Rin. She wasn't something more than that.

Still from what Kagome was reading Rin and InuTaisho had been friends, and Rin was the 'tamer' of Sesshomaru which didn't make sense to Kagome. Rolling up the scroll she walked out of her quarters leaving her pups sleeping soundly and went to find InuKimi. The inuyōkai female was the best source of information on this matter of Rin and Rin's supposed time travel. And if InuKimi was so confident they were all the same Rin then she'd explain this to Kagome.

True she knew Tōtōsai said that Rin had been first down the well but for what purpose? To save Sesshomaru? It couldn't be that simple, Rin was a human girl and Sesshomaru a known human hating yōkai lord. There was no way that Sesshomaru would tolerate Rin back then when he barely tolerated her now. Kagome wanted answers, real answers and she didn't want to read them in InuTaisho's scrolls. She wanted to understand just what Rin was doing and what it meant that she was doing this; supposedly.

* * *

Sesshomaru walked the field in silence. He wanted to destroy something and from the scent of the humans trying to surround him he decided that they would do for the time being because if he didn't kill something he'd kill Inuyasha or Toran or Jaken. Everyone worrying over him was beginning to piss him off and all he wanted was Rin back. He didn't give a fuck about this war, he didn't care about his curse and he sure as hell didn't want ot be leading the fight. Also, today a band of hanyōs had shown up today demanding that they be permitted to fight and then proceeded to insult him.

If he got insulted one more time, and they did not happen to be related to him, he was destroying them. Sesshomaru didn't give a shit about hanyōs or anything else really because it meant nothing to her. So he had left his gathering troops and knowing the predictable humans they'd try to kill him figuring him to be the yōkai leader; and they weren't far off on that assumption. But as he expected, the humans were predictable and they followed him now.

Finally something to slaughter that would not be a part of Inuyasha's pack. He looked forward to this as he stopped in the middle of the field. There was a metal clicking.

"_**Fire!**_" he heard a human roar, Sesshomaru's light whip flew from his claws as he swung his arm around letting the light rip through all the projectiles coming for him. None of them even got near him.

"So, you humans think you can kill me," Sesshomaru mused feeling to be in a particularly vicious mood because of his irritable mood. He heard the humans scrambling back, and he let his beast come to the surface.

"Arrogant pests," he decided and then he let out a snarl which shook the ground and made the trees tremble, birds took the air and animals scurried away much faster than these foolish humans who were trying to reload their weapon. His lips curled back in a smile as his fangs elongated, his claws cracked and his bones started shifting and growing, his jaw began elongating when he leapt into the air faster than light. His body came crashing down in his true form, men screamed but that was all they managed as Sesshomaru stained the green ground red with his fury.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	118. Mysteries of You: Chapter 58

**Mysteries of You...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Parting:**_ A Place or Point where a Division or Separation Occurs…_

* * *

**Chapter 58**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

There were many things bothering Inuyasha but as he walked the grounds of InuKimi's estate he wondered what he was doing here. True he was here to talk with Kagome but he wanted to ask Miroku to help them in their fight. The monk would be a great aid in the smuggling process, and according to Sesshomaru this was the best plan. Still, as he glanced over at the two headed dragon which had loved Rin he couldn't help but wonder if this was the right thing to do. He didn't know if this was the right thing to be doing but this was the yōkai thing to be doing and he was on their side.

Perhaps there was a future for him and his family.

Perhaps, just maybe there was something to hope for. Even if they would all be disguising themselves to look like humans. It was a less than thrilling thought for him.

"You know, for a hanyō you are smell unusually powerful," Inuyasha whirled around then.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?" inuyash yelped out. The stranger's lips curled into a smile as he continued to smoke his pipe and lean on the wall. The man's narrow features, sharp eyes, silver appearance, and five tails all swished around him giving him an intellegant but lazy attitude.

"I am a loyal follower of Mikadzuki-sama who sent me here to aid Sesshomaru-sama in the war against humans. It's my magic which is needed after all," the kitsune answered absently.

"What are you doing here, in the fortress of the inuyōkai?" Inuyasha asked.

"Sesshomaru-sama ordered me here said that it'd be best if the rest of the troops did not know about me as of yet. Besides, Mikadzuki told me to bide my time and wait for Sesshomaru-sama's orders." The kitsune twirled his pipe absently.

"Uh-huh, anything else I should know?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes, do not toy with your mate's ancestors, the monk and his family are very important if you should want your mate to exist," the kitsune informed him before disappearing in a mass of kitsunebi. Inuyasha just blinked dumbly at that.

Well that would explain a few things about Kagome, he thought as he continued walking towards the quarters his family was in. Now he just wanted to talk to Kagome and them to make certain all was alright for them. Then he'd return to the yōkai camp and help start implementing Sesshomaru's plan for the coming war. It wasn't the most comforting of tasks but he'd do it because it was asked of him. That was all that he could think to do though and he didn't know how to feel about the war though. Inuyash didn't want to hurt or kill humans but it appeared that none of the other yōkai were having a problem with this development.

It was an unsettling thought for him though because he didn't want to fight in this war. Inuyasha loved a good fight but he didn't want to fight a war. It just wasn't something he liked the idea of. It was a terrifying thought in his mind because he didn't want to get into a full scale war against the humans who weren't really the enemy, they were just scared. Scared of the unknown. His human half understood this, and it was their fear which was threatening the yōkai and causing them to rally to fight.

Inuyasha just sighed as he walked back towards his small family, the pack he had never had and felt a smile spread his lips. He was happy he was no longer alone, he had Kagome and he had his pups, then his smile wavered.

Sesshomaru had no one, Rin was his everyone and now she was gone. Inuyasha decided it was time Kagome knew the true depth and meaning of a mate, of what that bond meant of how deep it truly went. Perhaps if he were to explain that then he'd be able to free her of her unreasonable concerns for Rin. Rin had technically been the closest thing to a married woman a human yōkai mate could be since she had been eight.

* * *

"Pathetic," Sesshomaru deemed as he turned to walk away. The blood stained the earth but those fools had chosen their own demise and his temper had sealed their fates. There was no way to evade his temper when it was running wild like it was now. In his rage he started stalking off through the forest. It wasn't fair, he decided, it simply was not fair that everyone would get to live their lives, everything would continue, time would move forward and families would grow but he was forever stuck without his infernal human around.

Strange, Rin was a creature who made him happy but without her around him he only felt…nothing. There was nothing for him to feel without her. It was truly as if he were two separate creatures, not that it showed in his personality but he saw it in his outlook on the world. Kami did he miss her, she hadn't even been gone long but it already felt like an eternity.

He could never be the same after having loved her.

And he did love her, he would never tell anyone beside her how much he loved her but he loved her. Sesshomaru loved Rin, every Rin from every memory of his past more than he loved his own life. And he could never be the same without her. He could never let her go, he could never forget her, he could never walk away from Rin. It was strange, and he couldn't recall ever having walked away from her but he could remember her running from him, whispering her farewells to him, saying her words of love and smiling at him before disappearing.

Sesshomaru sighed as he finally came to a secluded area and slumped to the ground. Closing his eyes her face came to the forfront of his mind, his heart ached with an emptiness which made him want to perish. But the world would never know, they would never know just how pained he was being here without Rin. A bittersweet smirk tugged his lips, she had once told him that she would never be the same after having loved him, what she would never know was that it was really he who would never be the same after loving her. One person could really change another's life, Rin was the only person; yōkai or human, who had ever touched his frozen heart. His heart, recognized her and those times when he had ignored his heart; tried to ignore Rin as if he didn't know her; he had only perished at the loss of her.

So it was really he who could never be the same after all those encounters with Rin.

Sesshomaru looked up to the canopy of leaves, Kami did he love her and miss her. He hoped she'd return to him again, he needed her.

* * *

**That's the end of Part III: Mysteries of You folks! **

**Thank You To All My Silent Readers, I Hope You Have Enjoy Part III: Mysteries of You! =)**

**A Special Thanks To My Reviewers, though I do not write for reviews you should know they are greatly appreciated! =)**

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**That's all for now folks!**

**Part IV: A Return to Tomorrow will be coming December 23, 2015!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	119. PART IV: A RETURN TO TOMORROW

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Part IV**

* * *

**A Return to Tomorrow...**

'What is a mate?' You ask, well for that I can give no real answer for a mate is everything.

Everything, they are the center of your world, the center of your being, the meaning of living. A mate is more than a spouse, they're more than a friend, they're everything. There is no simple way to explain what a yōkai mate is because there is no simple way to comprehend what they could be.

A child can be mated, true, and they can have a mate but this does not mean anything really because they are just children. But being mated provides them with companionship that will never leave, love which will never faulter, protection which will never waver and a friend whom they can rely on. A moody pre-teen can be mated, again it does not mean much for all it provides them with is someone who understands what they are going through. A teen can also be mated, this is common and sex is a major part of a mated pair should they be of an appropriate age and consenting parties. A mate will never abuse their partner for their partner means much more to them than their live. As an adult a true bond is formed, a bond of companionship, loyalty, love, unwavering depth and emotions which is virtually untapped.

Mates are so much more, they have a bond which binds their hearts, fates, futures, and lives together though that mark. The mark which one uses to claim their mate, but to find a mate a beast must acknowledge a soul. This is not the same as soulmates, for soulmates are a human belief, a Soul Mate is a yōkai's love, the soul which attracts and focuses their internal beast. Not many yōkai actually find their soul mates, it's difficult and the world is full of many beings so it is no easy task.

But once a yōkai has found their mate, regardless of age, of race, of species they are bound to seek that mate out and claim them. My father never stopped looking for my mother, and he nearly missed her when he found her, he nearly lost her when he ignored his heart and beast, but he rectified the problem immediately.

A mated pair my father and mother have always been, since the time of her childhood and his puphood, they were always meant to be together even if they could never be together. The world would never truly understand this because they never wanted to understand this. But because they are a mated pair they will always return to one another and that is not something which needs explaining. They're drawn to one another just as the ocean is drawn to the shore.

They are forever tied together by that red thread of fate just as my aunt and uncle were.

It's their fate which always had them returning to one another, and forever in love with each other. I don't think they'll ever love again, and as long as that red thread ties them together they'll never be apart either.

* * *

**Here's a Sample of What's to Come December 23, 2015! ;)  
**


	120. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 1

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ethereal:** _Resembling Heaven: seeming to belong to another world…_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

It was an impulse, an afterthought after the horrible day he had been having in the never ending year. It was that very impulse which had brought him to the well, in hopes, vain hopes, that he'd see her again. She had disappeared down this very well and now as he stood there he desperately wished she would return to him. Sesshomaru shut his eyes as he walked up to the well. A part of him knew, just simply knew, she wouldn't be there. But that traitorously small and selfish part of his black heart hoped, desperately hoped that he walk up her and she be there. Sitting on the edge waiting for him. It was strange, really strange because when she had left him as a pup he couldn't remember the dreams.

The second time she had left him he had been plagued with dreams, and not all of them were heated. Some of them were of a simple life, traveling, merely being with her, having her wrapped up securely in his arms, listening to her, living a life so alien and foreign to him that it was driving him to insanity and to this well. It didn't help having a dragon as his only solace in life right now, he wanted more than that dragon; he wanted Rin.

So it was this impulse which had him walking to the well.

There wasn't much on his mind as he endured the year but still he was walking to well. It was tiring really, it was tiring to ache this much and nothing was there to relieve it. So he was walking, to the well, he wanted to go find InuTaisho and beat the hell out of his father but he was still heading for that infernal well. Trudging through the wilderness he stomped up the hill and glared at the wooden box sitting there, taunting him, tormenting him, irritating him, with holding that which he desired most in life. And at this moment Sesshomaru was wishing, desperately wishing that he had never met Rin or the creation of the well never happening.

However he knew those wishes were vain. He would not trade the pain he was feeling from knowing Rin for a moment for anything in this world. This did not stop the dull ache he was growing accustomed to living with and he hated that a human had been able to hurt him so.

His eyes snapped up when he saw the glow and before he could really stop himself his feet were off the grown as he flew towards the well. How many times had he dreamt of this, this very moment? When the well would glow and she'd be with him again. Sesshomaru stood on the lip of the well and his eyes widened, he reach down…

* * *

Rin landed with an ungraceful thud which had her rubbing her rear in pain. Kami how she hated time travel, she would never understand how Kagome could willingly leap through time. It was not fun, her insides were in knots and her heart was broken from seeing that soulful look on her lord's face. She hoped to never see that look on his face again. That look had just shredded her heart apart, and though his face was impassive it was those eyes, those child eyes of his which had yet to harden, to know hatred, to hid behind, those pup's amber eyes had looked so forlorn that she almost hadn't jumped back down the well. But she had to go, she had to save him; that was her purpose in life.

And though she never wanted to hurt him she knew she had to.

Standing in the well Rin turned around to start climbing out of the well, her hand grabbed the roots as she began to haul her body out of the well. It was a careful climb, mostly because she didn't want to fall and travel somewhere else in time. Absently she reached a hand out when she reached the top. She gasped when she was pulled up with ease and found herself staring into a wide set of amber eyes which stared at her as if he were seeing a ghost.

"My lord!" Rin gasped as he stepped to the grassy ground and set her there.

"Rin," he greeted her coldly but she couldn't help but smile as she threw her arms around him.

Sesshomaru didn't fight her hug as he grasped her securely in his arms and she felt like crying. It was him, again, and Kami it felt good to be with him again. She wanted to cry with joy, she wanted to never leave him again but as she pulled away and stepped back her heart dropped. She wasn't back in her time, but she was with Sesshomaru and she would be happy with that.

"Where were you? I don't care, I'm just curious." That icy tone, déjà vu.

She smiled.

"What!? I just asked a question, I don't care," he said coldly and she burst into giggles. It wasn't that it was a funny question but the overwhelming sense of déjà vu had her laughing.

"My lord, perhaps one day I shall tell you all my secrets, but for now I must preserve my secrets," Rin informed him sweetly as they started walking through the forest. She was just happy to have him with her again. It was nice, she was happy to be with him after everything that had happened when he was a pup.

"Hn," he sounded cross with her and she again burst into a fit of giggles. It was so nice to laugh again! She loved it, it felt wonderful and divine. She smiled, his gold eyes narrowed.

"Now, I have to return to Setsuna, many things to do, many missions to run and I must talk with Izayoi," Rin decided. Sesshomaru said nothing as they walked together. It felt good, she decided. It felt really good just to be with him again. It would never matter what time she was in, or where she was, so long as she was with him she could be happy. But that was love.

And she loved Sesshomaru-sama with all her heart.

* * *

**A Sample of what's to come on December 23, 2015!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**

**(= I'LL BE BACK DECEMBER 23, 2015! =)**


	121. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 2

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ethereal:** _Resembling Heaven: seeming to belong to another world…_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Rin walked to the river with Sesshomaru when she stopped. She didn't really think she could swim in this kimono or else she'd sink, that wasn't a good idea to her. Drowning was not the most pleasant of deaths and Rin had already died twice so she did not want to die a third time.

"Sesshomaru!" she squealed when he scooped her up and leapt over river. He set her down and before he said anything he leapt away from her. Rin's ears twitched and she turned around, the dimming daylight had her attention when a woman appeared.

"Again, I do not need an escort!" the woman protested.

"I have orders, my lady, and unless your previous guard should magically reappear I am to escort you around," the man retorted. Rin straightened as she recognized that voice and turned to the forest when the woman shoved her way out of the brush. Izayoi appeared then and Rin smiled.

"Well then I can relieve him of his duty," Rin said, both parties looked at her in surprise. Izayoi smiled, the warrior just gaped at her. Rin's smile bloomed, the elder's eyes widened.

"Rin! You're alive!" Izayoi hurried forward throwing her arms around her and Rin just wrapped her arms around the woman in return and felt happy about being here for the first time since this mess begun. "Where were you!?"

"Ow!" Rin yelped as Izayoi grabbed her arm with a surprisingly strong grip.

"What are you doing here!?" the guard shouted, but Rin only stumbled after Izayoi then with no appropriate answer. She couldn't very well say that she had traveled further back in time and that she had yet to return to her time! That simply wouldn't do, also she might be executed for that truth.

"I have to talk to you Rin," Izayoi hissed once they were far enough away from the guard.

"Alright, about what?" Rin questioned, uncertain of what had happened since she had left. True Sesshomaru hadn't aged but he was notorious for being ageless so it was possible that she had been gone for years, though she didn't think she had been gone that long.

"In private," Izayoi whispered.

"Whenever you're ready to talk about it I'll be ready to listen." Rin decided that was the best course of action as she would need to figure out how to obtain the dragon's blood that she needed. Real dragon's blood from the Dragon Clan; which was why she hadn't been able to stick around to use A-Un's blood. A-Un was about as evolved as a horse; albeit a happy creature by nature but he was not evolved to achieve what she need; also he wasn't venomous. Real dragons had venom and poison almost as deadly as Sesshomaru's but her lord was by far the most volatile creature ever sired.

"Thank you Rin, I missed having a friend here," Izayoi said softly.

"I've missed having a human female friend," Rin admitted.

"That's very specific!" Izayoi laughed, Rin chuckled.

"Aside from my lord I'm done with males, of any species, too annoying," Rin admitted, Izayoi continued laughing as Rin again returned to Setsuna.

* * *

She was back, she was here, his heart was overjoyed to have her here again. However there was a part of him, a quiet and guarded part of him which wondered when Rin was leaving again. She wasn't leaving him because she wanted to, he knew this but there was a small part of him which knew she wasn't staying. But he'd love her while she was here.

Sesshomaru remained perched in his tree as he watched over the Setsuna compound, he saw Rin walking with his father's lover. He bristled with Rin's casual associatation with the woman but he didn't get angry with her knowing Izayoi. Rin was free to associate with whomever she pleased. However, his internal beast always wanted her all to himself. But he was a selfish creature by nature and when he was younger Rin continuously scolded him but that was centuries ago.

Now, she was back.

She looked older, more like the Rin he had remembered rather than the young unscarred woman he had met last year. Now she was back, looked a little tired and older but she smelled of that same translucent rain-like scent. Also, her eyes, they were the same, never ending, expressive brown eyes which always drowned him. He was happy, or at least the closest to happy he could ever remember being with Rin.

He saw her appear in her quarters and he smirked a bit at the sight of her tossing her long hair about as she took it down. The cascading ebony hair was still wild, he wanted to slip his fingers through it once more and kiss her. His overwhelming desire to be with her for another moment had him scenting the air then softly landing in her room.

Rin jolted, as she looked over her bare shoulder at him. Sesshomaru walked to her, he moved her kimono a bit then bent over her to see the new purpling scars which marred her previously unblemished skin. Well, that wasn't true, she had had scars on her before but now he remembered the Rin from his puphood better than the Rin he had first met last year. These scars, they had always been impossible for him to forget.

"My lord?" Rin's voice was a soft whisper of a question, he moved all of her silky hair aside and brushed his lips to the mark he didn't ever remember giving her. Rin melted against him as she tilted her head aside to give him better access.

"I missed you," she murmured. He didn't say anything as he nuzzled her neck and let his lips travel over her quick pulse. Sesshomaru's arm slid around her waist under her folded arms, while a clawed hand snaked up to hold her shoulder back so she could give himself even better access to her neck. Rin moaned softly, he growled a bit in pleasure at the sound, his mokomoko slid around him to wrap around her and hold her close to him. Kami, how he had missed this.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed again as she tilted her head a little more, that black mass of hair tumbled freely around them.

"Rin, are you ready to go collect herbs?" there was a voice at the door, he snarled slightly as he released Rin to leave her against his will. Rin looked over her shoulder, he saw the wistful look in those dark eyes before she changed and disappeared into the compound.

* * *

**Instead of torturing you all like a sadist and forcing you all to wait until the 23rd of December like I intended I'm posting this again because I'm just enjoying writing this too much. So I'm going to post this at my leisure while I finish up a few other things. Remember I'm a Scorpio and November is my month; I have many, many, many plans in my wonderful month, and I have three stories to finish up so I'll be busy.  
**

**Anyways, come tomorrow I'll have the next eight chapters to post so... be ready folks!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	122. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 3

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ethereal:** _Resembling Heaven: seeming to belong to another world…_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Coming!" Rin called out as she struggled out of Yuki's gift and yanked on an appropriate garment for the spring warmth. It had just started being spring where she had been and now it was almost summer, once her obi was tied around her waist and she slid Bakusaiga on her hip she glanced over her shoulder for him one last time. He wasn't there, but why would she expect him to be there? He was Sesshomaru, he came and went as he pleased, and she loved him for that. Hurrying out of her room she nearly toppled into Izayoi who was impatiently waiting for her.

"You're slow," Izayoi informed her.

"Sorry my lady, I do not wear formal kimonos often and was tangled in it for a moment, it will not happen again," Rin assured Izayoi. Though it was a complete lie, Rin would no doubt be entangled in another kimono and her lord would no doubt be the one tangling her up.

"No need to apologize Rin, I just really need someone who is not going to run to Takemaru the moment I tell them something," Izayoi informed her miserably.

"Not a problem, my lady," Rin promised. Izayoi smiled happily and they resumed their quiet walk out of the Setsuna compound. Once they were in the safety of the forest Rin looked to examine Izayoi. True the woman was her senior, but the woman looked many, many years older than her age and Rin did not think that she had been gone all that long. At least not long enough for this drastic change in the woman.

"How long have I been away?" Rin asked.

"A year, this autumn it will be two, I told Takemaru that you were called away with business to attend to for your lord and you would likely be returning within the next few years," Izayoi whispered.

"To be honest I had no intentions of returning to this time but it appears that the Inu no Taisho and fates have different plans for me," Rin mused. The elder just frowned as if she had said something untrue but it was the truth. Rin had only wanted to return home, to be with her lord again, to hold him and whisper that she loved him, to be with him again was all she wanted and here she was in the wrong time. Again.

The fates really must hate her or something for her to always land in the wrong time all the time.

"I figured as much, I just never thought I'd hear it," Izayoi stated. Rin just shrugged.

"I do not belong here Izayoi, I belong with my lord," Rin admitted as she looked to the tree line.

No doubt Sesshomaru was hearing every word which left her lips but she didn't care, she wanted him to hear it because then he would know. He'd know that all she ever wanted in her life, from the time of her childhood to now, that all she wanted was to be with him. No one ever seemed to understand her simple desire to simply want to be with him but it was really simple. It had been that way for her since before the massacre of her family, her silver dream friend was waiting for her and then he had been real that day in the forest. She'd never be able to explain the dreams she vividly remembered having as a child where he was waiting for her, but she remembered them all the same. She also remembered the flack her brothers gave her for her silver dream friend.

"I understand, it's just as I belong with InuTaisho. I can't explain it but I always want to be with him and I haven't been able to ask anyone about. I've felt very alone and isolated in the compound, and when I'm with InuTaisho…" Izayoi trailed off turning bright red. Rin smiled slightly.

"When you're with him you're free, there's nothing holding you back from being yourself or being happy. Simply being with him makes you happy, he understands you and you him, it's the best feeling in the world to be with him, and to love him and have his return. And every time you part it feels as if the world is ripped apart and there will never again be happiness. To be away from him incites the deepest of loneliness which makes you crave him or death, but you can't die from the loneliness because to leave him would destroy him. Does that sum up how you feel about InuTaisho?" Rin asked after having admitted to everything she had felt for years. Since she was a child, well before actually meeting Sesshomaru.

"Yes," Izayoi admitted. Rin just sighed.

"That's this," Rin moved Izayoi's collar to reveal a mark rather like the one Kagome had except Izayoi's was magenta. "A mating mark, I have one as well," Rin admitted moving her own yukata aside to reveal her lord's crescent moon marring her skin.

"A mating mark?" Izayoi murmured as she reached out to trace Rin's mark. "What's the purpose of it?"

"I am not exactly certain but I do know that there is an emotional link. The simplest way I've come to understand this mark is you're a part of him, he's a part of you and apart you're incomplete," Rin said simply. It was the simplest she had come to understand the mark and after having felt wild emotions from her time travel with Sesshomaru as a pup she had figured out that there was more to the link than he had ever let on when she was with him when he was older.

"Oh, Rin?"

"Hm?" Rin asked as they resumed their walk.

"Do you know why a woman miscarries?" Izayoi whispered.

"Huh!?" Rin stopped in shock.

"I lost my daughter, Miho, a full season before she was due," Izayoi whispered.

"There are many factors involved but I know of many human mates of daiyōkai losing their pups," Rin admitted.

"Why?" Izayoi persisted, Rin noticed the way the woman's hand covered her lower abdomen then. So that was it, Inuyasha was coming and his mother did not wish to lose him. Rin sighed as she began wracking her brain for everything she knew of inu daiyōkai and human pregnancies.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	123. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 4

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ethereal:** _Resembling Heaven: seeming to belong to another world…_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"Why?" Rin sighed. "That is a difficult question to answer," Rin admitted.

Izayoi looked down then.

"I assume you are pregnant again?" Rin guess, the elder blushed a brilliant shade of red as she nodded. "Alright, let me put it to you as best I know. Daiyōkai pups have two interchangeable forms, forms which the can shift in and out of at will. The more powerful the daiyōkai the more dominate this trait. Now according to my lord's mother, who is a wise and respected inu daiyōkai, a pup with the blood of an extremely powerful daiyōkai needs an equally strong mother to birth it.

"The strength is not only physical but in spirit. A yōkai pup is different from a human baby, from what Kagome has told me a human baby is not as draining for they share with their mother. A human baby needs so much while with in their mother, they do not have the same demands as a yōkai pup. Also, their mothers are strong for holding a human child, which is challenging enough; believe me I've delivered enough babies and helped with enough human pregnancies to know that it is no easy task and is very dangerous.

"However the biggest difference between human and yōkai children is that yōkai mothers are stronger and more evolved for the task of carrying yōkai pups than a human is. Yōkai pups are far stronger than any human child can be, I've heard of yōkai mothers enduring poisonings, broken bones, their own starvation as the pup leaches off of them, internal bleeding and births so violent that the pups literally rip their way out of their mother," Rin saw Izayoi paling at all this. "But don't worry, your pup is only half yōkai! A hanyō, if you want to know technical terms for what you pup will be called by yōkai and humans alike.

"The pregnancies for hanyōs varies from mother to mother, for the most part hanyōs are born to humans which is why the pregnancy is so dangerous. A hanyō, though half human is still half yōkai making them to be very strong with unknown abilities. I met a hanyō, Jinenji, he was so huge, ugly but gentle, however it is clear that his yōkai father's traits for his father's true form are dominate. Hanyōs only receive one half of their yōkai parents, the true form which means the hanyōs are closer in relation to the base animal of a yōkai rather than a human.

"This does not mean they are not human, but their instincts and many of their characteristics will be closer to their yōkai relatives and the base animal of whatever yōkai the human happened to be mated to. Like you for example, you are the mate of the Inu no Taisho, in his true form he is a huge terrifying beast of an inu, and your hanyō pup will inherited many of these traits. It is not a bad thing," Rin mused. Inuyasha was a joy to be around and though he was not as sharp as her lord it was truly difficult to evade his nose.

"However since these pups are also half human they display many human traits as well, though perhaps these are not as obvious. For some, like one young hanyō, Shiori, she's more closely related to her human relative than her Bat Clan, she could even pass for human except she had snowy white hair, purple eyes, and tanned skin. But besides her ability to control and summon impregnable barriers she has no special abilities. Even when her time of the month to be a human comes she does not change all that much.

"I also know another hanyō, whom you'll come to know well, who is a dangerous but almost perfect balance of his yōkai and human traits. He's a very dear friend of mine, however he is a very dangerous hanyō, though he's not nearly as dangerous as my lord." Rin chuckled thinking of Inuyasha's competitions and fights Sesshomaru to which he always lost.

"He looks human enough, though he also looks like a yōkai. He shares many traits with his yōkai father, like his ruthlessness for those he cares about, his loyalty, his claws, a few physical abilities that his father has; except he does not fly like his father nor does he have the same amount of strength. But he is very strong, he holds a great deal of loyalty and is eager to leap into any fight that presents itself regardless of the consequences. Those are his yōkai traits and personality, these are also very dominate in him, but his father was a very powerful daiyōkai so it would only make sense that his inner beast should not be able to manifest but still be near the surface of his mind.

"But, he had a human mother, whom he loved very much and would have died for. Because of his mother he has a great deal of compassion, understanding and love. Because he has human blood flowing within his veins with his daiyōkai blood he is often times at war with himself between his instincts and his mind. Being human is his greatest flaw and his greatest strength, because he has a human within him he is able to restrain himself, he is able to sympathize and grieve, he has many emotions which he would not have if he was merely a yōkai. However, because he is half human and half daiyōkai he is at war with his instincts and the human way, but he turns out fine in the long run.

"A little hotheaded, stubborn, and needs a few dozen 'sit' commands to teach him manners…" Rin pondered then paused as she looked at Inuyasha's mother. Izayoi was staring at her with wide unblinking eyes. "Like I said, he turns out fine in the long run!"

"You seem to know an awful lot about this Rin," Izayoi mumbled.

"I should, I was raised by yōkai after all and I've encountered my share of hanyō so while I'm by no means an expert, I'm also not completely clueless.

"As to your original question of why, I don't know. It is possible that your human body rejected your hanyō daughter's yōkai traits, or your body did it to save you because carrying a hanyō pup is no easy task and will be very painful. It's also possible that her particular mixture of yōkai and human traits killed her for those traits are usually at war within a hanyō. But then again her yōkai traits could've needed more and she simply wilted away. There is no simple answer Izayoi for a hanyō pregnancy is by far the most unpredictable pregnancy there is."

"Hm," Izayoi looked nervously then to her midsection.

"I would not worry about this pregnancy Izayoi, I have a feeling that this one will be alright in the long run. But I'll be here as long as I can to help you," Rin promised.

"Thank you Rin," Izayoi smiled for the first time since asking her question.

"Alright, now which herbs do we need?" Rin asked as they resumed walking.

* * *

**Must have food and caffeine before continuing with the story so...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	124. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 5

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Ethereal:** _Resembling Heaven: seeming to belong to another world…_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

InuTaisho saw his son appear from the forest and immediately he knew. It wasn't obvious, it wasn't like there was a scent clinging to him or anything, there was no spring in Sesshomaru's step, there was no glint in his eye which revealed what InuTaisho knew. No, there was no outwardly sign which told InuTaisho that she had returned, it was just something in the air around his son. Sesshomaru seemed lighter, in a sense, and InuTaisho knew that to only happen when Rin was with him. Though one would never know this by looking at his son, Sesshomaru hid his joy at Rin's return well and InuTaisho only saw because he had known Sesshomaru from the day he had been sired.

"InuTaisho," he looked over to InuKimi. A female he had once so desperately wanted to love, he had wanted to but he couldn't and now Izayoi was the center of his world. Because of this the tension between himself and InuKimi had died and they were back to being best friends, just as it should be he supposed.

"Yes InuKimi," he turned to look at the empress of his clan, the head, the only female who's abilities rivaled his own.

"It is time for Sesshomaru to sire an heir, or do you believe we should continue to wait?" InuKimi asked, he lifted a brow then looked to his son who was flocked by Chieko and Fumio who were eagerly trying to engage his son into joining a game or a hunt or sparring match; not that it was working.

"Wait a few centuries before we try to get him around females," InuTaisho decided. He didn't know how much InuKimi knew about Rin's return or if she even knew about Rin but he didn't want to risk it. Besides, when Sesshomaru had been a pup InuKimi had met a Rin and referred to her as Sesshomaru's beloved person, he wondered if that Rin and the Rin now were one in the same. And if InuKimi knew that Rin was human. But he wasn't going to question her in the matter, he was however going to try to put off matching Sesshomaru up with any inuyōkai female for the time being because he'd likely kill them. He barely tolerated the clan within the compound, asking him to tolerate and bed a female of another family in the clan was a little much.

"Alright, InuTaisho, perchance have you seen his beloved person?"

"Huh?"

"The soothsayer, the one who saved him from the panthers, I was wondering if the girl had reappeared," InuKimi said.

"No, not as of yet," InuTaisho said softly. He didn't think it was a lie, for he wasn't certain if this Rin and that Rin were one in the same. Kami was this mere thought giving him a headache and a craving for Izayoi.

"Go, InuTaisho, I'm certain your beloved person would be happy to see you again," InuKimi murmured softly. He looked to his best friend but she had a guarded look like her son often wore, a look he couldn't decipher even if he were to try.

"Thank you InuKimi," he whispered in her elfin ear before he kissed her cheek and left.

* * *

She could take it, she could; she was no weakling. But Kami did it hurt! There was no pain which compared to this loss. However, she was still alive and though she did not have his love she had his son, Sesshomaru. She looked over to her son who while looking indifferent looked irritated and annoyed as he tried to escape Chieko and Fumio. Sesshomaru, her pride and joy, the only creature in this world whom she loved and was loved in return. True she and Sesshomaru weren't exactly what members of the clan called close but she knew he loved her. Perhaps not as much as he loved his beloved person but he still loved her.

That was her comfort, her comfort for the lack of love she had from the male she loved. She loved InuTaisho, loved him with all her heart and desperately wished that they had been meant to be but it appeared that just like their son he was to fall for a human. Though the woman her best friend loved was very human compared to her son's beloved person, and very different.

InuKimi had watched Izayoi from afar, watching the human to make certain the female would not break InuTaisho's guarded, fragile heart. But it appeared Izayoi was not going to harm or hurt InuTaisho, much to InuKimi's relief. And it was because of this she had decided to let InuTaisho go, she couldn't have him so why should she hinder him? It wasn't like she was bitter towards him not loving her, just a little hurt and tired of the pain. However, she had her son, and Sesshomaru meant more to her than this world and life combined. Which was why she carried the Meidō Stone which was apparently the key to her son's future happiness.

But when the time came for her to use the stone she was not certain she could do what InuTaisho had asked of her.

How could she willingly rip a part; a piece of her son's soul away to merge it with a fading soul dead from dying a second, and irreversible death without killing him? It made no sense to her, then again, there had been that soothsayer from Sesshomaru's puphood.

The woman who's heart beat in time with Sesshomaru's, the woman who's fang scented of her son as a matured male, the woman who stood before her with many manners and personality traits similar to her own and Sesshomaru's. Perhaps, just maybe, Rin was the key to the Meidō Stone working as InuTaisho had said it would. But if that were the case then where was Rin? How was she to aid in saving her son if she had to take a part of his soul to do it? That would kill even the strongest of yōkai. InuKimi sighed, perhaps in time she'd understand what InuTaisho wanted her to do.

* * *

**Alright, I have food, I have caffeine, I'm on a functioning level again so on with the story! After this I'm writing my originals, I've just had a stroke of genius for my favorite story so I'll be off in about five chapters! =) So much caffeine!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	125. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 6

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Waver:** _To Vacillate Irresolutely Between Choices; fluctuate in opinion, allegiance, or direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Izayoi was relieved Rin had returned, it was a great relief to her since she had announced her pregnancy. It had been about two months since the last raid which coincided with her pregnancy so everyone was just assuming the worst and that a bandit had gotten his filthy hands on her. Which was far from true but she was going to let them believe what they desired because she didn't have the will to fight them. Also it helped so she didn't have to explain she was pregnant willingly because her 'mate'; who was an inu daiyōkai; had purposely aimed to impregnate her.

So while the world thought the worst had happened to her, she had been wallowing in joy at the pregnancy, but she worried. She worried about this pregnancy after how the last one had ended. A bloody mess, a dead daughter, and a lot of tears. Izayoi never wanted to live through something like that again. She was so happy that Rin had reappeared, Rin would know what to do and how she could keep this pup. But there was also the matter of Takemaru to consider.

He hadn't even known about her first pregnancy, he was away at battle; he was still away at battle but from his notes he was coming home victorious sooner rather than later. And when he returned they would wed, Izayoi didn't want that. But until InuTaisho and Rin had entered her life no one had cared about what she may or may not want. Now though, she was pregnant with the man she loved more than she loved her own life's child, and Takemaru was returning. More than likely he'd kill her baby somehow and it terrified her.

Izayoi did not wish, nor could she stand to lose her baby. Her daughter had had little triangle ears closed over the top of her head, growing white hair and a cute face, but her daughter was dead and no one knew. No one besides herself and InuTaisho even grieved the loss of Miho, and it hurt her. But now Rin was here, Rin who was strong, wild, determined, and stubborn and the strongest woman she had ever met. She really wished she could be more like Rin, but alas, it could not be for she could never be brave or fearless like Rin. There were times she still cowered at the mere sight of InuTaisho's true form, he was so huge and beautiful but terrifying which had her trembling.

"Izayoi?" she turned to look over her shoulder to InuTaisho who was landing in the field where she and Rin had gone to collect the herbs they needed.

"Hello love," she smiled as he approached.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her as he knelt down beside her. She pondered the question momentarily.

"Fine, I was not as ill as last time, and there have been no cramps," she said happily. Her last pregnancy had been hell, absolute hell for there was no chance she could've carried her first child to term. But Rin had assured her that this pregnancy, in the long run; would be fine.

"That's good," InuTaisho's nose slid across her cheek as if he were comforting her, she just smiled at his kindness.

"Hello InuTaisho, I can leave if I'm interrupting something," she looked over to Rin who had reappeared from wherever she had gone. Izayoi looked up to InuTaisho who seemed to brighten at the sight of Rin, Rin smiled.

"Rin! What are you doing here? Izayoi said you were summoned by your lord," InuTaisho left her and she stifled a chuckle. Rin had struck a chord within him, she had seen it, the way she seemed to be able brighten him. It was the power of being Rin she guess, and Izayoi smiled at the sight of him genuinely pleased to see Rin.

"I was, I am merely on loan from my lord for the time being but I'll stay as long as I can."

"What are you up to this time? Not the Taijiya Village again?" InuTaisho asked.

"No," Rin waved her hand dismissively. "I have no use for Noahi's advice this time, I already know what I must do, but I can stay for a while and help Izayoi with her pregnancy. My quest is going to take some time, it is no easy task."

"If you should need any help," InuTaisho smiled slightly.

"Thank you, but I will be fine. I can survive just fine, all on my own." Rin stated this and Izayoi fought back the snickering she felt at that statement. It sounded as if Rin was very used to going it alone, which was strange from how she spoke of her lord. Why would any woman be accustomed to going it alone?

"Are you certain of this?" InuTaisho asked her.

"Yes, my lord would be ashamed you're even asking that," Rin said tartly.

"Alright, Rin, I'm going to entrust the safety and well-being of my mate and pup for the time being, if you should need help just ask for it." InuTaisho then pulled her around and she looked to her mate with curiosity. "It is no problem, but because the dragons are rallying I'll be gone for some time and I do not want you to be alone," InuTaisho informed her before kissing her brow. Then he pulled Rin into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her and whispered something in her ear before leaving them.

"What did he say?" Izayoi asked.

"Nothing of importance." Rin replied absently. Izayoi frowned but then turned back to resume the gathering of the herbs which she needed. Rin just silently joined in to help her.

"I'm glad you returned Rin," Izayoi said softly. She felt her friend stiffen at those word then relax.

"I'm glad I could spend a little more time with you too," Rin admitted and they were in amiable silence which had Izayoi smiling a bit. Everything would be alright, she was certain of this.

* * *

**Sleep Deprivation + Huge Amount of Much Needed Caffeine + Never Ending Imagination = Major Caffeine Crash... *yawn*...  
**

**Anyways, back to writing! Who needs sleep!? I mean seriously...sleep is over rated; oh look a pillow!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	126. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 7

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Waver:** _To Vacillate Irresolutely Between Choices; fluctuate in opinion, allegiance, or direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Rin felt like running for her well and leaping down it and demanding it return her home. But that was just a futile dream, she knew that because she still had to get the blasted dragon's blood for the fang and then she'd have somehow get it within her lord so it could grow. Inuyasha would still need to chop her lord's arm; not that she really wanted her lord to lose his arm. However, she knew now that he needed lose his arm so when he regained Bakusaiga it could exit his body without ripping out of him and destroying him.

So she was here to formulating a plan and trying not to bang her head against a mountain or something. The problem would not be the actual act of obtaining the blood of the dragon, no, that would probably be the easiest part of her quest. Getting her lord to cooperate with her plan would be the impossible part. Sesshomaru was like a kid when it came to medicine and evaded, whined, snarled, growled, then if you weren't killed by now; he escaped.

And thus the problem she was facing in the century of dealing with a younger, more obstinate version of her very obstinate lord. Kami, did she have her work cut out for her. It also did not help that she was now apparently Izayoi's healer for her pregnancy with Inuyasha. Rin sighed, the fates hated her, they had to hate her, there was no other explanation. Two deaths, time travel, wolves, time travel, Magatsuhi's curse, time travel, loving her lord, time travel, time travel, and more time travel! Rin HATED time travel!

Sighing Rin stood up from gathering herbs with her friend. The sun was setting now and Rin felt his eyes on her as she stood up in that field with Izayoi still gathering herbs.

"Izayoi, we should go," Rin said softly because she knew that they had a curfew. She may have been gone a year however she knew Izayoi had to be back at the compound.

"Hm, oh, yes we should," Izayoi said absently standing then. Rin caught her elbow before she collapsed, a falling pregnant woman would not be good. Especially when she was pregnant with a hanyō.

"Careful," Rin ordered taking the basket of herbs as they started returning to Setsuna compound. Rin just sighed, how was it she could always get herself into these messes? And it wasn't even that she tried to get into these battles; unlike Kagome and Inuyasha who had always purposely sought out their battles. She just wanted live her life peacefully with Sesshomaru rather than run around instigating wars to save her lord by recreating Bakusaiga. Bakusaiga was the key to save Sesshomaru from Magatsuhi's curse, though how this would work she did not know but she trusted Noahi.

"Rin, why does it feel like we're being watched?" Izayoi asked.

"Because we are, just ignore it," Rin said softly. Sesshomaru wouldn't attack her so there was no need to worry unless one had intentions of attacking her. Rin wasn't in danger and neither was Izayoi as long as she was safe. Rin sighed as they walked to the compound.

"Rin, you said that you also have a mate, and you've shown me your mark so who's your mate?" Izayoi asked timidly. Rin chuckled.

"My lord, he's the one who gave me my mark." Rin replied honestly.

"Who is he?" Izayoi asked.

"The Inu no Taisho heir of this time," Rin answered honestly. "You've probably heard of him, and he's not the kindest of creatures, and he certainly isn't the most tolerant. He hates everyone, well, most everyone, though he states he hates humans and hanyō but when you meet him you understand he doesn't really like anyone really. I'm a strange anomaly where he's concerned."

"Then why are you his mate?" Izayoi asked.

"I just am, and I love him."

"That sounds…strenuous," Izayoi mumbled. Rin laughed.

"If love were simple then everyone would be able to obtain it, but love is no simple matter and Kami knows that if love were easy I wouldn't be in this mess," Rin mused. "But since love is no simple emotion and will forever be a mess and test of endurance, best thing to do is to ride it out and try not to drown. And loving my lord is no exception."

"You must really love him," Izayoi mumbled.

"I do," Rin admitted. "I love Sesshomaru-sama more than anything in this world, even more than I can say."

"That's nice and must be wonderful, but who's Sesshomaru-sama?" Izayoi asked.

"I don't think you'll like him when you meet him," Rin mumbled.

"Why do you say that?"

"Like I said, he hates everyone," Rin shrugged. At least she couldn't remember him ever liking anyone aside from herself and A-Un; he tolerated Jaken at most, but she did not think he liked anyone. Even as a pup he hadn't liked anyone, she had just seen that yesterday! He just growled and glared, at least at this age he didn't growl, he still glared and when he raised her he gave everything and everyone a blank, baleful, and indifferent stare which scared the hell out of everyone.

"Oh," Izayoi and she were silent from then on. There was really nothing to say because both of them had their own thoughts. Rin was just wrapped up with saving Sesshomaru from Magatsuhi, all she wanted was to return to her lord and hold him, promise him forever then yell at him for scaring her like that. But she couldn't do that because she was here, and her lord here did not even know of Magatsuhi's cures or how he saved her or even how he obtained the mightiest fang, Bakusaiga. And also there was the matter of this lord always trying to jump her bones, despite what Rin thought that was slightly problematic to trying to get around this Sesshomaru was not possible. This Sesshomaru was always around her, just as her own Sesshomaru was always around her, but the one here was ridiculously attached to her.

"Love is pleasant enough," Izayoi admitted.

"It's difficult but it's worth it," Rin admitted because she could never think of a reason to regret it. Loving Sesshomaru was the centered of her being and her world. But to love him was everything to her and it would never change for her because he was everything for her, even before they had met he had been everything to her.

* * *

**Three more chapters tonight folks!  
**

**P.S. Caffeine, best thing on this planet!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	127. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 8

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Waver:** _To Vacillate Irresolutely Between Choices; fluctuate in opinion, allegiance, or direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Settling into a routine while in Setsuna was not a simple task to undertake because Rin and Izayoi were treated as if they were carriers of the plague. Rin had a feeling that that was due to whatever lie Izayoi had started because she was bearing a hanyō. However Rin wasn't certain that meant the woman should be treated as a pariah. But that was exactly how Izayoi was treated by the women.

The guards though, and the men, they all looked ashamed about something. Rin wondered just what lie Izayoi had claimed for everyone to be either spiteful or ominous about her presence. Izayoi though just seem happy about being here for whatever reason. Rin could truly admit that she would never understand why Izayoi was happy in this ominous environment; it was a tad bit stifling to be receiving these attitudes. However, Rin didn't comment on this as she walked to Izayoi's quarters with a tea she knew to help pregnant women.

"My lady," Rin rapped the entrance lightly then she walked in.

"Hello Rin," Izayoi greeted her looking slightly pale, Rin poured the tea and handed it to Izayoi as she readied the tray, pulled Bakusaiga from her obi before sitting on the ground again, her hair pooled on the mats she sat upon.

"What's this?"

"It helps with the nausea," Rin said as she sipped her own Jasmine tea because she was still exhausted and catching up on her sleep. It was difficult to fall into a regular sleep cycle after having run around and protect a pup Sesshomaru who never really needed sleep. Now though it was expected that she start the day before Izayoi, and end the day after Izayoi was settled. Rin knew the routine, but her body was still having trouble adjusting to this. Also, there was the matter of her scars, though they were healing nicely they were slightly tight and painful, Toran had truly inflicted a lot of damage on her. If Rin ever caught up to that blue she-cat she was shredding the cunt into a million pieces for this!

"How is it you're such an expert in hanyō pregnancies? Have you been pregnant?" Izayoi grumbled as she propped herself up on the table. Rin spat out her tea as she gaped at the very pale version of Inuyasha's mother.

"What!? How…huh!? I have never been pregnant in my life!" Rin defended, she took precautions _**NOT**_ to be pregnant, if she got pregnant in a time other than her own, and was stuck in a different time… The mere thought had her paling and tightening her legs as she sat there. No sex for Sesshomaru, yep, that was a good solution and it would probably die the moment he wrapped his arms around her and his lips were on hers'. Until then though he was not getting her!

"Huh, I'd have thought you had a few hanyō babies by now," Izayoi mused.

"Please don't jinx my luck on this matter yet, I have a mission to accomplish," Rin pleaded. Izayoi sighed.

"How do you know so much about pregnancy then?" Izayoi mumbled as she rested her head on the table. Rin sighed as she set her tea down.

"My lord permitted me to learn anything I pleased and he gave me unfettered access to knowledge. Also a miko who took me under her wing, she taught me everything there was to know about healing and pregnancies so I could be useful in birthing. First baby I ever delivered was a set of twins for a good friend of mine; that was a scary day because I had just turned nine and we were alone in the forest that day when her labor came quickly. Before I knew it I was the one helping her give birth to her first baby and then the second, by the time her husband and his best friend found us, we were making our way back with two babies we hadn't had when we left.

"After that day I wanted to learn healing and about pregnancies, so my lord permitted me to stay with the old miko." Rin admitted. "My lord has always encouraged me to learn and he never restrained me so I have learned many things. I just took an interest in fighting, battles, and many forms of combat, and I was interested in poisons and healing so he gave me access to the materials I needed to learn."

"Oh, he doesn't sound as bad as you make him out to be," Izayoi grumbled as she poked at the minimal food Rin had brought. Pregnant women needed to eat but it wasn't a guarantee that Izayoi would be able to keep it down.

"No, he is, and worse but he treats me well and he loves me so we're good. Anyone else and he would not tolerate them." Rin responded as she sipped the tea. Izayoi looked like death and Rin smirked, pregnancy was a bitch who brought a subtle revenge from the world for asking stupid questions. Seriously, as if Rin would get pregnant at this time. Time travel would kill her and the forces of Karma being the bitch they were would probably obliterate her for being pregnant with a human hating, inu daiyōkai when she was human.

"Ugh," Izayoi moaned deafly as she leaned over the table.

"Queasy?" Rin questioned.

"Uh-huh, I hate mornings," Izayoi grumbled. Rin smirked then as they sat there and she silently sipped her jasmine tea in peace. She did kind of revel in Izayoi's misery after her trying to jinx her, but she wouldn't say as much will she enjoyed this fine morning. She'd figure out Izayoi's lie after Izayoi was no longer something as useful as seaweed, and then she'd go about figuring out how she was to obtain that stupid dragon's blood.

The only way to eat a daiyōkai was one bite at a time, Rin reminded herself and she would go about this entire mess on catastrophe at a time. But she'd give Izayoi some time to get herself back to some semblance of normalcy before they would go about the day.

* * *

**I have ice cream in my freezer which is calling my name, I have a book which is demanding to be read, and I have a caffeine high which will make me up half the night so I might or might not have more updates. If not tonight then come tomorrow I'll have the last two chapters of the first ten posted then.  
**

**So hungry!**

**That's all for now folks! Ice Cream here I come!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	128. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 9

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Waver:** _To Vacillate Irresolutely Between Choices; fluctuate in opinion, allegiance, or direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

They were finally able to leave the Setsuna compound Rin was relieved. Though she was receiving strange looks but she figured that that was merely because she was carrying so many weapons. But Rin refused to be the guard of a pregnant woman who would be the target of yōkai without the proper weapons for defense. But perhaps she was going a little overboard…

Nah, if anything she was probably under prepared. She had a bow, the arrows, a few daggers, a short sword, a few needles, and Bakusaiga. It was only under InuTaisho's request that she was even taking these with her because if she didn't there was a real possibility of Izayoi being attacked. Her powerful scent change and defenseless state was a call to yōkai to challenge her when she didn't even know about this change. Rin was prepared though, or at least she thought she was with everything she had.

"Do you really need all this Rin?" Izayoi asked as they walked through the village.

"It's best to prepare for every eventuality and that's what I'm doing. Besides, this was not my idea!" Rin defended, stupid inuyōkai! This was definitely their desires and defenses because Inuyasha had been ridiculously demanding in the defenses of his mate when Kagome had finally gotten pregnant. If Inuyasha and InuTaisho were both acting like this over a simple thing like pregnancy she dreaded the thought of Sesshomaru becoming a father. Kami help her, damn inuyōkai!

"Then who's idea was it that you be so packed with weapons that you'd sink through the earth?" Izayoi asked.

"Cannot say, just know that the next time your mate wants to play war hero have him leave you his own guard! I am not your keeper!" Rin snapped mostly in irritation towards InuTaisho.

"No!" Izayoi yelped and Rin stopped in her tracks.

"Alright, why not?" Rin folded her arms as she stood there waiting for answer. Izayoi's brown eyes filled with an unnamed emotion.

"No one knows about InuTaisho," Izayoi mumbled.

"I figured that much out," Rin assured the woman as they stood there with the forest rustling about them. Rin knew from Inuyasha that his mother had never run to the inuyōkai clan for refuge or even told anyone that InuTaisho was his father; he hadn't even known InuTaisho to be his father until that incident with Sesshomaru and Tetsusaiga. But knowing the secrets to come did not help her with understanding why they were created in the first place.

"Well, um…" Izayoi looked bashful.

"Spit it out, you will either tell me the purpose of your secrets or you will tell me why you are trying to deceive everyone!" Rin snapped in irritation. She did not care about secrets but she was getting annoyed with this. This wasn't about secrets though, this was about her being able to protect her father-in-law's mate and friend's mother.

"Everyone thinks bandits raped me!" Izayoi said in a rushed tone. "I didn't counter their claims, I was already pregnant again by InuTaisho and he offered to build me a home in the skies out of the reach of yōkai and humans alike but…

"But I can't leave here! I'm a healer, I may have been born in a noble family but I'm a healer and there have been so many injured men from Takemaru's troops that I couldn't leave them be. Any other healer would kill some of these men and InuTaisho understands this. I like having a purpose and living a life with humans, because I'm a human. I'm not like you Rin, I wouldn't survive on my own even if I were to try, I would die! But I cannot go into the inuyōkai clan either; InuTaisho fears for my safety there because I'm a human.

"I've thought about this a lot Rin and I would rather live here until I give birth than live in fear in an inuyōkai compound in fear alone in the clouds. I don't like being alone and I do not wish to be the start of a war. Besides, Takemaru is my best friend and has been since my childhood, he will aid in protecting me even if I'm bearing a hanyō pup. I will discuss this with Takemaru when he returns but until then everyone can assume that my child's father is bandits. Also, InuTaisho and I have agreed that…that it would be for the best, if our child, doesn't know who his father is…because, because he doesn't want the child to be hurt by the clan or yōkai for being a hanyō." Izayoi looked saddened and pained at this admission but Rin understood, she understood better than Izayoi knew.

"No matter what the choices we make are never easy despite what onlookers say, to choose to keep a secret like the one you will bear can consequences which will hurt you and make you ache, but I am certain that in the long run you will be alright. Like my lord taught me, what doesn't kill you can only make you stronger!" Rin mused. That's how she had taken all the lessons in poisons and fighting, and Sesshomaru had poisoned her a few times by accident so she took that to heart. What didn't kill a person truly would make them stronger, whether that was emotional or physical.

"That's a strange thing to say, and I don't think this will end horribly, at least I'm hoping it won't," Izayoi insisted. "What do you think Rin?"

"I think, either way this is your path and your life to live so I leave the decisions to you. I'm here for my own reasons which have nothing to do with you. however I will aid you with your journey for as long as I can but I will not be able to alter the outcome for that is yours to care for." Rin decided that was the reasonable answer.

"Oh, thank you Rin," Izayoi smiled and they resumed their walk then. "And Rin, why are you here? I understand you're here to save your lord but why?"

"Eh…that's a lot more complicated," Rin sighed. Izayoi snickered, Rin frowned but they didn't discuss it after that. There was no need for Izayoi to know that Rin was saving her son's mortal enemy and brother; that could cause a slight conflict. Besides, she was going to have enough trouble handling her lord in this era that she didn't really want to talk all that much about him to Izayoi of all people. Izayoi, though a kind, compassionate and understanding woman, would be like everyone else and not understand just how much Rin loved Sesshomaru.

Absently her fingers toyed with the small fang shape seed which would be Bakusaiga, no one would ever understand her love of Sesshomaru truly so she was going to leave it alone.

* * *

**Good News! Come Tomorrow, along with my shipment of caffeine, comes a Mass Update! Lots to Update but that's tomorrow!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	129. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 10

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Waver:** _To Vacillate Irresolutely Between Choices; fluctuate in opinion, allegiance, or direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

Rin just felt sorrow at a loss that had yet to happen but was inevitable. There was no way she could change the coming fate, for it was no her fate to change. She knew this, for this she was merely a witness to the inevitable, for if she were to change anything here, one moment, one decision, or one thought then she could ruin everything to come. And knowing this pained her as she stood there watching over Izayoi in the field of herbs.

To change one thing here could create a future with unknowns, and that was not acceptable to her. For if there was a way changing Izayoi's or InuTaisho's fate could have irreversible effects on her time or Kagome's. Knowing that time was delicate was the only thing which prevented her from grabbing Izayoi's shoulder, shaking her and shouting at her, demanding that she not make this decision. This was not her fate to change, it was not her place to change her friend's fate when it was sealed.

It was imperative that everything to pass would happen as she knew the history to be. InuKimi had given her extensive studies in history, yōkai and human alike so she knew most of what was to pass. Sesshomaru had rarely shared much about his past but there were enough snippets for her to piece together that he had been in love and had fought a few battles with the woman he loved. Rin had envied that woman's position in Sesshomaru's life but she had admired her too, for that woman had also loved her lord. Now Rin had figured out that that woman, the woman he had loved was her. And because she knew this she was willing to trust him and any adventure they had because it was more than likely they had happened.

However, toying with Izayoi's and InuTaisho's fate could have very, very, very dangerous repercussions in her time and the future. These were fates which should not be changed because if they were the unknown could be worse than the coming known. True Naraku, Kikyo, the wars to come, and Kagome, the horrors and heartbreaks to come were all horrible and great at the same time but Rin feared that in messing with Izayoi's and InuTaisho's fates she could bring about a very different and far worse future. A future with more threats and dangers because of the choices she could lead InuTaisho and Izayoi to make.

True the time she was from was not all that wonderful, but to change anything could alter it drastically which was a scary thought. This was the dilemma Rin was faced with as she stood here watching over a woman whom she had to come to think of as a friend.

Izayoi would die.

InuTaisho would also die.

But if she prevented their deaths, the future to come would be very different but she couldn't permit that to happen. Sometimes, those rare few times, Rin had pondered the future with her new friends but now she knew; to play with the fates of others was dangerous. Very dangerous, the evil she knew to come to power was far better than the unknown evil to come. Besides, one change of fate and she could possibly never meet her lord or Inuyasha would never meet Kagome.

Still, these deaths, they were senseless and it was paining her that if she interfered in any way she could obliterate everything to come.

Rin hated having so much power, the power to change the fates, but she was helpless to use it unless she wanted to destroy everything. And though she didn't know she'd destroy everything she could alter the reality to come into something worse than what she had lived in. Also she could cease to exist and that was a terrifying thought which had her thinking about what to do very carefully. Rin had no wish for Izayoi or InuTaisho to die, she had no desire for Inuyasha's suffering, and she did not crave to be away from her lord in any way but playing with the history she knew for the unknown could prevent or worsen everyone's suffering.

Again she sighed as she stood there.

Sesshomaru, her mind pleaded; what should she do?

"You're sighing again," Izayoi called out. Rin just turned to the woman who was now standing.

"Sorry, many thoughts on my mind," Rin said with a slight smile. It was the truth but she did not want any to know the troubling thoughts on her mind. Izayoi sighed as she walked up beside her holding her herbs.

"What could be so troubling for you Rin?" Izayoi asked.

"A pesky lord and a measly dragon are on my mind a lot," Rin lied. The dragon would be a matter she'd take care of at a later date but her lord was on her mind so that was not a lie.

"Those are strange things to think about, do you wish to share your thoughts Rin?" Izayoi asked.

"No, not particularly, my thoughts are mine and mine alone because they are my burden and problem to deal with. However if you want to share your thoughts with me that'd be alright," Rin admitted. To share her dangerous plans with a pregnant woman would be a very, very, very bad idea even if they were just mere thoughts. Besides, Rin had it figured out why Inuyasha loved Kagome and Kikyo, they both had many traits similar to Izayoi such as their reckless attitudes.

"You know, you're annoyingly secretive," Izayoi mumbled. Rin smiled.

"I try," Rin mused. Sesshomaru was also a secretive creature by nature and she took after her lord in many ways.

"At least you're honest about it," Izayoi mused.

"Again, I try, we should head back for Setsuna so you may rest." Rin decided because she wanted to go out tonight to meet Sesshomaru. He would be of help to her and her mission to obtain the dragon's blood which she needed to form Bakusaiga. At least the fang did not require anything from the okami, if it needed a wolf's blood Rin would yell forget it and dive back down the well, a dragon was far less terrifying than a wolf. Of this she was certain.

* * *

**My Caffeine shipment is delayed so the Mass Update will happen tomorrow rather than today, sorry about that but no caffeine and I'm barely functioning. I probably have the worst caffeine addiction in history but no caffeine and I don't functions so...  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	130. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 11

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Vindicate**:_ To Show that (Someone or Something that has been Criticized or Doubted) is Correct, true, or reasonable…_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Once Izayoi was settled in for the night under Takemaru's guards care Rin decided that now was the best time to escape for the night. Biting her lips she slipped through the night, a light rain was falling, it felt wonderful compared to freezing her ass off. Gripping the vines Rin pulled herself out of the compound, over the wall then landed in the grass before running into the forest. Silence was her greatest ally at this moment as she ran into the night. He would find her, Rin knew his eyes had been on her for a while, it was only a matter of time.

Rin laughed when she was tackled as they tumbled down the grassy hill and she couldn't stop her laughter as he landed atop her with her wrists pinned.

"Hello my lord," Rin gasped as she looked up into a brilliant set of amber eyes.

"Rin," he answered coldly. She just giggled as he released her hands, his arms slid around her back as he pulled her up, he was settle between her legs, her fingers slid into his heavy, wet, silver hair.

"I missed you," Rin breathed just before his mouth was on hers. Rin just pulled him closer as her body pressed into his harder, toned body as he kissed her. His mouth moved over hers, she smiled a bit as she opened her lips a bit and he deepened the kiss. Rin groaned a bit, Kami how she had missed this, being kissed like this and with him like this. Her fingers fisted tighter into his silver hair as she returned the kiss, she felt one of his claws come up to cradle the back of her head. Rin let her tongue slid over his fangs, they were weapons but right now they were mesmerizing to her. He forced her back, Rin just gasped as he tilted her back, as the rain slid coolly over skin under her kimono as his hot body was pressed against hers.

"Rin," he pulled away as his lips traveled over jawline then to her mark. Rin smiled as his tongue traced over her crescent moon scar, the mark he had given her so long ago and then his fangs lightly traced over her skin before his lips and tongue on her mark.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed the familiar title as she let her head fall back feeling his hand fisted in her hair. He finally pulled away as his nose slid across her cheek as she held tightly onto her lord, the man she loved, the daiyōkai who meant everything to her. His amber eyes were guarded, cold, and indifferent still but as expressive as ever, holding an affection and tenderness she only ever received.

"Why did you return to Setsuna?" he murmured with his brow pressed against hers'. Rin bit her lip as her thumb traced a wet magenta stripe slashing across his cheek.

"Because, I'm still here to save my lord." Rin answered honestly looked at that face which she knew so well, and her heart was breaking a bit.

* * *

He stared into those dark eyes which he knew were studying him as he pulled her closer to him. Rin moved her hips closer and he held back in his desires to jump bones, destroying the kimono would probably irritate her. His thumb slid over her spine as he tightened his hold in her hair and studied those dark eyes. Her eyes, they entranced him, all those secrets and the love which she always showed him. Kami how he loved this human, this woman was everything to him, and her answer was a small jab to his heart. But he hid the pain as he nipped her bottom lip then.

"Sesshomaru-sama, would you mind helping me?" Rin mused as he pulled away. Sesshomaru studied her closely as he thought about what she was asking of him.

"I'm in need of help to get a little dragon's blood," Rin informed him. Now he smirked as he pulled away from her a little, he didn't dare to let her go in fear she'd just disappear again. But he did pull his hand from her hair to slid it around her neck, he pulled the blue-black-white fang shaped pendant from between her breasts. Rin just smiled sheepishly as he lifted it between them, he smirked a bit seeing this. He just looked at it briefly as old half-forgotten memories stirred in his head.

"For this?" Sesshomaru questioned.

"Yes, I need a bit of dragon's blood and to do that I'll need a bit of help," Rin replied earnestly. He just let the fang disappear between her breasts then as his mouth latched back onto hers' and his claws tangled themselves in her hair.

Of course he'd help her, she only needed to ask and they both knew it. There was nothing Sesshomaru wouldn't do for her, there was nothing he'd deny her and if she needed dragon's blood he wasn't going to question her needs for the blood. Rin was up to something and he knew it, but just what he did not know. He remembered her having Tōtōsai forging a fang, the pearl, and the claw of the panther together when he had been a pup but he hadn't known what she had done with it.

Sesshomaru just ignored the old memory as he yanked her small frame closer. He hadn't remembered the fang since his puphood and now he had seen it again. But it didn't matter, Rin was here now and her small frame molded to his body. Rin tasted wonderfully, and she was intoxicating him again as he pulled her closer. He never wanted to forget this flavor, he never wanted to forget the feeling of Rin against him, and he never wanted to forget the feel of her heart beating in time with his. It was all he could think about as he held her tightly, part of him feared her disappearing and another part of him feared this was another dream plaguing his mind.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin gasped, his lips curved against hers' again.

"I'll help you Rin," he breathed as he pulled away.

"Thank you, my lord," she smiled and Sesshomaru couldn't restrain himself as he watched the rain slide over her face and skin. His mouth was on hers' again, and he slowly lowered her into the damp grass. Kami he had missed her, he had to have her, he pulled her kimono aside and saw the scars he could never forget which hadn't been there before when he had first seen her. Perhaps Rin was a wanderer in time, he mused as he slowly pulled her kimono apart so he didn't rip it.

"I love you, Sesshomaru," Rin whispered as her fingers tangled themselves in his hair.

"Rin," he came back to kiss her.

* * *

**The Mass Update is on hold for a few days due to unexpected complications that have popped up today. On different note Today has been horrible for me, I don't think it could be worse if I tried. So cut me some slack on the Mass Updates plans, it's still going to happen just not today, sorry but again...shitty day. **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	131. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 12

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Vindicate**:_ To Show that (Someone or Something that has been Criticized or Doubted) is Correct, true, or reasonable…_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Rin woke in a very different spot from where she had fallen asleep. Which was surprising as she blinked the sleep from her eyes. Bakusaiga was within reach but more confusing than that was the silk piled atop her, and the comfortable fur she was sleeping on. The realization had her turning slightly, Sesshomaru.

His magenta lids were closed, his face though still maddeningly indifferent was serine and as she tried to move she found herself secured to him by one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders. Rin sighed at the situation but smiled slightly as she relaxed again in his hold. At least he had moved them out of the rain. Rin didn't particularly want to get ill from sleeping in the rain when she had a mission to complete. Her eyes drifted shut before she could stop them and her world was consumed by a deep slumber again.

* * *

His eyes snapped open the moment he heard her heart slow again and her breathing deepen. Content that she was indeed asleep he just tightened his hold on the small woman in his arms. She was secured against his chest and he rather liked the feeling of that as he watched her sleep. It was just like last time, only this was the Rin he remembered from his puphood. These scars, the scars which marred her skin like yōkai markings or tiger strips. Was this what Rin had been up to? Traveling through time?

Truthfully he didn't know all that much about Rin, he hadn't asked and she hadn't asked. On the other hand they seemed to know everything important about one another which confused him. And it thrilled him. There was a spark here which he had never felt anywhere else in his world. So after having her for the first time since she had returned and she had fallen asleep immediately afterwards and he knew her human body was too weak to sleep in the rain so he had relocated them into an abandoned hut. Sesshomaru wasn't fond of using a human hut for shelter but Rin needed shelter so she didn't get ill and die on him so he had moved her here. She hadn't even stirred aside from curling into his chest and whispering his name.

Now she was here, she was at his mercy, with a mere flick of his wrist he could kill her but he didn't want to kill her. Sesshomaru wanted her safe and healthy which was why he was here. Now he was her guard because Rin had dared to fall asleep in the open and in the rain leaving herself exposed.

"Foolish human," he whispered. Rin groaned a bit as she rolled to her stomach and again he merely shook his head. The human was exasperating and trusting, didn't she know better than to trust the likes of a monster like himself. No, he was grateful for that as he moved those ebony locks over her pale shoulder and studied her face. Kami did he love this human.

Only her.

* * *

InuTaisho was fighting an unwinnable war but one he was willing to fight as he lunged for human who dared to swipe at him. He hadn't started this war, but by all that was divine in this world he was going to end it and whisk Izayoi away. She would not be staying in the Setsuna compound but until yōkai and human alike recognized him as a leader he couldn't lay claim to what was his.

"Back off!" he roared as he lunged for the human who dared to swing his sword at him. InuTaisho snarled as he drew Tetsusaiga to unleash the Backlash Wave on the army. He would not lose Izayoi! He was not going to let some grubby human try to lay claim to what was his which was why Rin was in charge of watching over Izayoi while he was away. Rin was reliable and honest and loyal and trustworthy which was why he was relieved she had returned; also she cheered Sesshomaru up a bit.

"Leave Demon, These Are Not Your Lands," InuTaisho's eyes narrowed on the red figure.

"They have been mine long before your creation," InuTaisho retorted. The monster looking human narrowed his eyes.

"Then know that I, Setsuna no Takemaru, will be the one to slay you monster," the man declared. InuTaisho laughed full heartedly then.

"I dare you to try," InuTaisho challenged knowing full well that this measly human would not be able to kill him. And should he try InuTaisho would obliterate him. The human swung his sword, InuTaisho countered.

* * *

"Rin, wake up," his voice demanded it of her and she groaned whilst wrapping herself up in his mokomoko trying to ignore the demands that she wake. She didn't want to wake up just yet, she wanted to continue to sleep! "Rin!"

"Huh?" she grumbled hiding beneath his tail.

"Wake up! I have to return to the battle field," Sesshomaru said. Rin peeked up at him from beneath his fur and frowned.

"Battle field?" Rin repeated.

"Yes, up!" he barked.

"Fine," Rin sighed as she sat up, yawning she stretched her sorely loved body. She wasn't certain about her ability to walk after everything he had done to her but she had to get up. Granted this was against her will as she grabbed her garments again and pulled them on.

"Wait? Battle! Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin spun around on him as her sleepy mind finally processed what he had said. Sesshomaru looked over to her with cold amber eyes, she saw his armor then. "What's going on Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin demanded.

"The humans declared war," Sesshomaru replied simply and she blinked.

"Why?"

"Hn," he shrugged then he pulled her to him. His lips were on hers for a hard, breathtaking, mind numbing, soul robbing, and heated kiss which had her clinging to his armor.

"I'll return you to Setsuna," he murmured when he pulled away from her handing her Bakusaiga then. Rin just stared at him with wide eyes.

"Sesshomaru-sama, be careful," she murmured feeling like a child again watching him leave her. He looked over his shoulder, she knew that look, smiling she ran to his side as she slid Bakusaiga on her hip. Without thinking she lightly tangled her fingers with his as they walked in an amiable silence. Before she saw what he was intending to do he scooped her up, she squeaked and then they were enveloped by a blinding ball of energy as he carried her.

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**Here's to hoping today's a better day than yesterday...  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	132. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 13

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Vindicate**:_ To Show that (Someone or Something that has been Criticized or Doubted) is Correct, true, or reasonable…_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Rin was just pleased that she had obtained Sesshomaru's aid, she was now worried sick about this war that he was involved in against the humans. But she knew this was inevitable, this battle was the beginning of the end of InuTaisho. Her heart broke with the knowledge from InuKimi's history lessons she knew that within a few months, after the first snow on the lunar eclipse; the night of Inuyasha's birth he'd be dead. Rin knew and it was breaking her heart, however her heart was distracted because again Rin was worrying about Sesshomaru in another battle. She feared the worst though she knew he wasn't going to die.

Still she couldn't stop herself from worrying as he dropped her off at Setsuna in predawn. Rin watched him leap away and disappear in the morning mist.

"Be safe, my lord, I'll be here waiting," she whispered knowing he could hear her. Sesshomaru never turned around as he disappeared into the mist but she knew, she knew he heard her from the way his mokomoko twitched slightly in acknowledgement. Ever since she was a child he only ever gave her the slightest of reassurances and promised to always return to her she was a bit relieved that that hadn't changed despite her having traveled backwards in time.

With Sesshomaru it would never be the big things, the grand gestures like Inuyasha, Miroku or Kohaku would do, it wouldn't be flashy gestures like Shippo or InuTaisho, but rather little gestures. His words weren't what he used to woo her, false promises or even loud mouthing about everything he had done to be alpha. With Sesshomaru it was the little things, the things Kagome and everyone else missed. The little flick of his mokomoko in acknowledgement, the looks he gave her, the way he would let her give him flowers which he accepted, the way he affectionately swipe her cheek, or the way he would let her tangle their fingers together. Rin never expected to hear the words of affection or love from his lips, but promises of safety and returns meant more to her.

She smiled slightly at his slight acknowledgement before she walked into Setsuna. The guards were meandering about but they seemed groggy, no wonder this place had been raided by bandits. War brought the worst out in people, and Rin knew this better than most, still it irked her. Walking in she glared at the sleepy guards who looked half dead on their weapons, not that it should surprise her as she walked into Setsuna heading for the kitchens. An old woman recognized her as Rin prepared her tea and her lady's tea before walking out of the kitchens with Bakusaiga still on her hip.

"Izayoi," Rin rapped the entrence to Izayoi's quarters. She was greeted with the sound of retching so she just walked in. Setting up the teas Rin started sipping hers, the sooner the better, before Izayoi could come and jinx her, the last thing Rin needed in life was a baby at this moment.

"Rin," Izayoi panted as she hugged a post in the room. Rin nodded her greeting as Izayoi slumped across from her. "This pup is going to be the death of me," Izayoi mumbled as she gingerly picked up her tea.

"And think, InuTaisho will come to your rescue," Rin mused trying to cheer the pregnant woman up.

"Being cheery right now is rather like being cheeky and I'll put a curse on you if you persist to be in this happy mood," Izayoi grumbled.

"Tsk, tsk, you should have better manners than that for threatening me." Rin just sipped her tea and smirked in triumph as Izayoi groan and rested her brow on the small table. It was nice to be able to thwart Izayoi after her attempt to jinx her. Rin would enjoy this for a little while. But for now she'd think about how she was going to obtain dragon's blood without killing the dragon. Rin didn't know much about the dragon clan's history (she had slept through those lessons), but she knew that only Ryūkotsusei was sealed away by InuTaisho and Inuyasha killed the dragon. But there were no dragons who died in this era that she knew of.

So who should she attack, who's blood should she take. Rin pondered this, well so far she only had materials from the best daiyōkai of their time. So perhaps…Ryūkotsusei? Sesshomaru would be able to injure the dragon, Rin only needed a bit of blood to bond the pearl, the claw, and the fang together, then she'd need to somehow get Sesshomaru to eat it. But she'd worry about getting it into Sesshomaru after she had the stupid dragon's blood.

"Rin, what did InuTaisho ask you before he left?" Izayoi asked her. Rin looked up to the slouched over form of Izayoi.

"He asked me to make certain that you were safe and his pup was safe," Rin answered honestly. She didn't mention his warning of the traitors within the walls of Setsuna, that's how Izayoi had lost her first pup apparently. The herb which could cause a miscarriage, and InuTaisho recognized it and it's scent but he had no idea who was out to destroy his pup within Izayoi. It was best not to worry an already worried pregnant woman with threats which were of the unknown at this moment in time.

"Oh, I thought he'd demand you never to leave my side," Izayoi mused.

"No, well…he did but I had a feeling you'd skewer me if I did. In my experience pregnant women do not need hoverers, they need friends; besides a monk friend of mine's wife whacked him over the head several dozen times in her first pregnancy because of his hovering. It wasn't pretty. It's a good thing he has a really hard head, else she'd have done him in by now," Rin mused. Sango and Miroku had an unconventional relationship and one which seemed slightly painful. At least for Miroku it looked painful but he always seemed so happy with Sango.

Love was the truest form of insanity, Rin thought as she thought about all her married and mated friends. Besides, she had to be insane to be completely, totally, irrevocably in love with Sesshomaru.

"That's good, I kind of don't want to bury you but I would if you hovered," Izayoi said as she sipped her tea.

"Thank you for the warning," Rin decided as she sipped her tea and they both lost themselves in their own thoughts.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	133. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 14

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Vindicate**:_ To Show that (Someone or Something that has been Criticized or Doubted) is Correct, true, or reasonable…_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Sesshomaru stood in the middle of the field, no one was with him as he waited. Now was the time he would show them the true power of an inu daiyōkai. Powers which no other inuyōkai had, powers which would have them all trembling in fear.

"Just one, are you a fool?" his amber eyes flicked up to the forty men who had appeared before him. Sesshomaru smirked.

"Watcha smiling about!?" the man roared.

"Fool? I am no fool, but you are," Sesshomaru snarled, his feet left the ground. They didn't even scream as he ripped through their ranks, he lifted the last human by his throat as he let his claws drip with poison as the man's feet dangled off of the ground. "Tell Takemaru to retreat or die, from Sesshomaru-sama," Sesshomaru snarled then he dropped the human as he walked away from the bloody field.

"You dare to turn your back to me!" he heard the arrow dispatched from the bow. Using his daiyōkai speed he turned at the last second, his fingers caught the arrow at the last second before it could touch the back of his head. Holding the arrow in his fingers he glared at the human, the man's eyes were wide and the pungent stench of fear reached him then. Sesshomaru smirked as he hurled the arrow into the man's shoulder, the man flew back as he was pinned to a tree. Leaping he was in front of the man then.

"Tell Takemaru," was all Sesshomaru snarled. Then he enveloped himself in energy as he flew to the inuyōkai camp. Landing he looked to the Inu no Taisho, InuTaisho motioned for him to follow and Sesshomaru followed his father.

"The message?" his father asked as they walked through the forest surrounding their camp.

"Delievered," Sesshomaru answered as they walked in silence. "Is the human worth it?"

"Yes, I must protect her. Would you not do this for yours'?" his father asked. Sesshomaru said nothing because he knew, he'd destroy everything which threatened Rin. But he hadn't ignited a war. His father and Izayoi though they were being stupid; he didn't tolerate stupidity but since it wasn't harming Rin, as of yet, he would let them do as they pleased. It wasn't his life, it wasn't his mate, and it was not his fate which they were toying with. Until Rin was in danger he would indulge his father and his father's whims.

"Hn," was Sesshomaru's answer as they walked.

"You should answer," InuTaisho said hotly.

"Hn," Sesshomaru replied because he still didn't feel as if any of this was his father's business. It was only his business and he did not feel any desires to share this with his father or anyone really. Besides if he informed everyone in the clan that he was mated to a human girl, who wasn't all human, they'd never understand. On top of that there was also the political aspect of his mating with Rin which would infuriate his clan, humans were the enemy after all and that hadn't changed in any way as of late. So he was keeping Rin his secret, also Rin seemed to like being his secret. Which was strange, but one he didn't mind.

"Sesshomaru, I know about Rin," InuTaisho said coldly.

"Hn," Sesshomaru answered. What his father didn't know was that he knew his father and Rin were friends and he preferred to keep it that way. Having leverage in secrets and knowledge was very important to him. It was also for the best if no one knew what he was up to or who mattered to him; then there was no leverage for his enemies to use against him.

"Stop that and just talk with me!" InuTaisho snapped.

"Talk about what? There is nothing to talk about with the decisions you are making. You are sealing your own doom and I will not talk with you about that!" Sesshomaru snapped as he stalked away.

He wasn't a fool, like his father thought he was, he knew all about where this was leading. And no, it was not because he talked with Rin or listened to her conversations with his father or Izayoi that he knew this was a disaster waiting to end. It was the simple fact that humans were persistant creatures and his father was not as young of a daiyōkai as he'd have the world believe. Sesshomaru saw the way his father had slowed a step or two, the way his father's reflexes were slower, duller, and the way his father's mind was never here but rather with that human.

Sesshomaru, like his father, was mated and he understood how the woman consumed his father's mind for Rin consumed his the same way. Rin was everything and then some to Sesshomaru, not that he'd admit that aloud, but because he knew the mating bond between him and Rin was strong he could understand his father's bond with the human. However, Sesshomaru did not permit his link with Rin to distract him for any reason, because one distraction, one moment, one misstep and he could end everything, losing Rin in the process.

Rin had promised him forever, when he had been a pup he had promised to love him for forever and he remembered. And because she had promised to love him for forever he had decided he'd live so she had someone to love.

Sesshomaru would never be the fool his father was, he would never be so foolhardy to leap into the fights he couldn't win. He would never leave Rin alone in this world, when he wasn't with her his world was desolate; he could only imagine what her life without him would be like. Loving Rin, though an important part of his being it was also what kept his head level so he wouldn't fail her or die on her. He would not be like his father, he would be greater than his father. Because Sesshomaru saw the inevitable end of his father coming with this war and he didn't even know what the future held.

* * *

**Sorry about the past few days, I haven't really had internet these past few days so no updates. Lots of writing though! Not fanfiction... But still lots of writing was done! =) The Mass Update will happen tomorrow on All Hallows Eve!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	134. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 15

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Vindicate**:_ To Show that (Someone or Something that has been Criticized or Doubted) is Correct, true, or reasonable…_

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**Chapter 15**

Izayoi was in political meetings today, meeting with Takemaru's ambassadors and allies in their war against the inuyōkai so she was free for the day. And with that freedom Rin was going scouting for the next few days, Izayoi was perfectly safe at this time being surrounded by respect members of human society. With that in mind she had been able to take her needed supplies, Bakusaiga, and a map of the surrounding area. She'd be fine on her little expedition to find a stupid dragon, who she remembered being described as bigger than a mountain. How hard could that be?

Well…

Once she was over the wall and looking at her map she decided that perhaps she had underestimated her abilities in traveling within three days. Well, she had better start walking, Rin sighed; she would see how far she could get to the dragon territory then return to Setsuna within the three days. Stomping off in the direction she knew the dragon territory to be Rin started wondering how she was to go about getting a dragon's blood.

It would not be easy by any means but she was certain she could do it with Sesshomaru's help. However, at this moment she didn't have her lord's help. But that didn't mean she was like Kagome or Izayoi and useless, Rin had been surviving on her own long before her lord had saved her, and Sesshomaru had taught her to be independent. She was not helpless or useless, she'd have to start this on her own and she'd be fine with that.

"And where are you going, Rin?" she spun around to look at those amber eyes which always entranced her.

"To hunt a dragon," Rin answered with a happy smile as he walked up to her. Tilting her head back she studied his face, a face which she knew better than her own. "Aren't you supposed to be on the battle field?"

"Let's be off Rin," he answered as he then scooped up. Rin yelped as she threw her arms around his shoulders but she smiled as she hid her face against his neck. It felt so good to be on an adventure with him again. Brushing her lips against his pulse she just felt the happiness settle over her as they flew. As always being with him soothed her nerves and worries, she didn't even know why that was but it had always been. Somethings, Rin mused, somethings in life were never meant to be understood and her connection with Sesshomaru was probably one of those things.

"Which dragon's blood do you want?" Sesshomaru asked after flying for a few hours in a comfortable silence.

"Ryūkotsusei," Rin answered. Sesshomaru's grip on her faultered as they slammed to a landing on a sturdy tree branch.

"Who?" Sesshomaru asked her again as his gold eyes narrowed on her. Rin feigned innocence as she toyed with his silver hair. It wasn't working as his eyes continued piercing her. Groaning she gave in.

"Ryūkotsusei," she repeated feeling as if she was about to make him lose his temper; which was a difficult feat to do because he kept his temper well in check. Sesshomaru just shut his eyes, and Rin knew he was calming his temper before he lost it and yelled at her or worse transformed her.

"Rin, why him?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I slept through history most of the time but when I'm from his name is the only name of a dragon to…be defeated," Rin answered as carefully and truthfully as she could. She always aimed to be honest with Sesshomaru, regardless of his age or intentions, honesty was the best way to handle Sesshomaru. Besides, he had always seen right through her when she had lied or tried to lie.

"Fine, we'll go plan on getting Ryūkotsusei's blood," Sesshomaru sighed.

"Thank you for helping me," Rin whispered and then she kissed his cheek. "It means a lot," she said honestly.

"Hn," he answered but she'd have sworn to seeing a faint blush on his cheeks before they leapt back into the air flying for dragon territory.

* * *

This woman was tying him in knots! And Kami did it feel good! However, she would not manipulate him and he didn't care if she was his mate or not, no female or male; human or yōkai would ever manipulate him. He would not permit to be as stupid as his father, he would never bend to the will of another. But he sensed Rin had been attempting to evade rather than deceive him, not that it matter. She had surrendered though and gave up to him permitting him to hear what she had said again.

Hearing it again did not help him with knowing how to handle Rin but at least she knew she would not be manipulating him.

"My lord will be most pleased you helped me," Rin said as she pressed her lips to his pulse. He just felt like smirking, of course he'd help her even if he did not like her lord; and he was at the same time proving to her that he was better than her lord. After all she was his mate, not her lord's mate, so of course he had to be better than her lord.

"Hn," he replied feeling smug and a tad annoyed at the mention of her helping her rather than her lord.

"Don't let it go to your head!" Rin hissed, "I'm still only here to save my lord."

"Hn," he replied.

"Don't 'hn' me! Anyway, Ryūkotsusei, do you know where he is?"

"Yes Rin," he mused as he landed on the top of another tree. The human merely looked at him with large, expressive, dark eyes and he kissed her again. Mostly so she'd not question him. Rin didn't retaliate however she did kiss him back just as aggressively.

"Fine, I trust you Sesshomaru-sama," Rin decided when he pulled away from her. Her fingers traced his stripes and he just nodded in acknowledgement to her statement. It felt wonderful knowing she trusted him, also being called 'Sesshomaru-sama' felt good. He pressed his lips to hers' again then he leapt into the air to continue towards the dragon's terriroty. Rin's arms tightened on him as she twisted about in his arms to be more comfortable.

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**I'll be back All Hallows Eve with the Mass Update! Until then...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	135. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 16

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Intentions:**_ A Determination to Act in a Certain Way: Resolve…_

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Sesshomaru thought about what Rin was intending to do and wondered just why it had to be Ryūkotsusei's blood she had to have. Then again Rin was a walking enigma who enchanted him and he found impossible to resist; it was a truly futile battle to try to resist her charms. She had him wrapped around her pretty little finger and they both knew it, he wasn't happy about it but he didn't mind at the same time. It wasn't as if Rin were a malicious person willing to manipulate him to do her bidding, she asked rather than demanded, she submitted rather than fighting him, and she always smiled at him. Sesshomaru did not mind helping her in any way she should ask for help. She was his Rin, and she meant everything to him.

"We're not here to hunt the dragon, Sesshomaru-sama, we're merely here to see if we can find him and somehow perhaps draw his blood without instigating a war," Rin reminded him.

"Hn," he replied again as they landed on the fringes of the dragon's territory; he wasn't exactly looking to start a war with Ryūkotsusei. He wasn't like his father, he didn't want to pick every possible fight there was to fight; he only wanted to fight and destroy the most powerful of daiyōkai to prove to his father that he was better, and to prove to the clan that he was far more powerful than his father. Gingerly he placed Rin's feet on the grass, again he noted her absence of shoes just like the Rin from his puphood. Just like the Rin of last year. What was her problem with shoes? He wondered, any sensible female would wear them.

"It's a scouting mission!" Rin insisted as she started leading the way. He grabbed her arm before she could head the wrong direction.

"Let's follow the scent," Sesshomaru said softly, Rin turned a brilliant shade of red as she followed him. It was most amusing.

"Right, I'll follow your lead, like always," Rin said softly while staring at her feet. He just nodded and then they started their walk. His nose inhaled the pungent scent of the old bone dragon, Ryūkotsusei's scent was horrendous and overwhelming; and in the past century the scent had never changed.

Rin walked closer to him than he normally permitted but he didn't mind.

"When you're from?" Sesshomaru questioned her finally. It was a thought which always bother him, Rin never said where she was from, she was always seemed to be careful about what she told him.

"That's complicated," Rin answered.

"Where are you from?" Sesshomaru persisted, his curiosity peeked.

"Here, I'm just not from here, if that makes sense," she said this carefully.

"Uh-huh," was all he managed to say as they continued through the forest. She probably had reasons for not telling him everything about herself. Which was fine, he would enjoy uncovering all her secrets with time. The uncovering would be the most fun, but for now they'd hunt Ryūkotsusei down and start with her plan to obtain the dragon's blood.

* * *

Rin just felt relieved when he stopped questioning her, she didn't like evading or trying to lie to him. It just never worked, every, and it always failed horribly for her. Now she just followed her lord thinking of the best way to obtain Ryūkotsusei's blood without instigating a war. The Ryūkotsusei and InuTaisho battle was something which she knew very well, she even knew what caused it. And it was not the fight between Ryūkotsusei and Sesshomaru; her lord had taught her that much about his history but what their fight had been about she did not know. Now she had a feeling that perhaps she knew what had caused Sesshomaru and Ryūkotsusei's dispute. Which had nearly killed the two of them.

"Sesshomaru," she whispered and he stopped to look over his shoulder at her.

"I'm sorry, but can you please not question me about where and when I'm from. Just know that I'm only here to help," Rin said softly, she hated trying to lie to him. Sesshomaru stopped and she knew that look he was giving her. It was that look which would have her when she tried to lie about who had drenched Master Jaken in bee honey; she and Shippo had tried to blame Kohaku for that incident; needless to say it hadn't worked, it was this very look which had her disintegrating and telling the truth.

"I can't tell you because it's not something you need to know about as of yet," Rin submitted. "Trust me, if I could tell you everything I would, I would tell you everything Sesshomaru-sama, I'd tell you but I can't. There are events to come, events which have to pass and if I were to tell you when I'm from, where we met then perhaps it won't happen. I want to tell you, I truly do, but my lord would not be pleased if all the mysteries were taken from you. You must forge your own path without knowing what that path is to be, so please do not ask me again when I'm from. I love you, but no matter how much I love you I can't tell you and I hate lying to you, my lord, so I would kindly ask you not to ask me anything else about when I'm from so I do not have to lie to you."

Sesshomaru was silent for a moment and her heart was painfully slamming in her ribs as she looked at her toes. If he asked she'd tell him everything there was to tell him and she would not hesitate to tell him everything there was to tell him which was the pathetic part of who she was. He merely had to ask and she'd surrender all of her secrets and answers, she wouldn't even try to keep them.

"Alright, Rin," he said it so softly that she had to peek up to him to make certain he had actually spoken.

"Thank you," she whispered. My lord, her mind added automatically as she resumed following him.

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**MASS UPDATES T****oday! =) Everything will have at least one chapter today, Rain for Tears, Still Hate You, Irresistible Pain, Until the Day I Die, Wrong Number, But Don't Hang Up!, Only Tears, Trying Not to Neuter Him and Because I Love You! (In That Order!) So Be Patient, I'll have plenty up today, but it'll take some time; a lot of time actually, oh well; at least I like writing! ;)  
**

**Happy Halloween! ㇳ5**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	136. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 17

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Intentions:**_ A Determination to Act in a Certain Way: Resolve…_

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**Chapter 17**

Rin's head fell back in irritation as she glared at the skies which had clouded over today and had yet to relent in their pouring rains.

"The fates truly hate me," Rin decided and Sesshomaru looked blankly at her. They both knew the reason they holed up in this cave was because if she tried to travel in this weather then there was a very real possibility she could catch some horrid human illness which could kill her. Thus, the cave. Still, Rin was getting annoyed with how everything seemed to always work against her when she was on her mission, which happened to be the most important mission of her life.

"Rin," she looked over her shoulder to her lord who was sitting calmly watching her. Huffing out a breath she stomped over then flopped to the cave floor as she scowled in her irritation. This was no fun, being with Sesshomaru was wonderful but being stuck because of this storm was maddening in her mind. Sitting lotus style she propped Bakusaiga on her shoulder as she folded her arms and let her knee bounce in irritation (a habit Inuyasha had given her when they would sit at the well and he'd wait for Kagome).

"You know, I hate the fates, I hate them!" Rin spat out in her irritation as it boiled up in full force. This wasn't fair, this wasn't how this was supposed to happen or what was supposed to happen. For once it would be nice if just once, one bloody time; the fates could cooperate with her and she wouldn't be side tracked from her mission. That would be nice but she knew that to only be a pipe dream.

"Sesshomaru," Rin called to him.

"Hn?" he grunted out.

"Why do you seek supreme power?" she asked softly, she remembered as a child this was all Jaken claimed he wanted and after having met his younger selves she could understand that this was a part of him but she was most curious to that actual why behind his desire to have this power.

"It is supreme power which will show me the way, make me stronger than my father, make me surpass him. I only crave to be the most respected inu daiyōkai," Sesshomaru replied indifferently.

"Yes, but why? Why would you want to be the best, what would you gain by being the best?" Rin asked and he shrugged. So he wasn't going to elaborate on this matter, Rin sighed. She had figured as much. For as much as she understood and comprehended Sesshomaru there was just as much about him she did not understand or comprehend.

"Why do you seek me out?" Sesshomaru asked her softly, she blinked at the unexpected question.

"I don't know, I've never thought about." Rin thought back to her childhood then peeked at him. "You know, before we ever met, when neither of us knew the other, I always had these dreams. They were beautiful dreams of a silver man, my brothers teased me telling me that I would marry him, I would deny it then there'd be a big fight between us which my parents would have to break up. It was after I lost everyone that I only had the dreams, dreams of the silver man.

"When I met you I had already been dreaming of you for a lifetime, I always dreamt of you and I always sought after you. At first it was curiosity, those dreams they were just too vivid to mean nothing, then it was because that silver man was my only hope, then it was because I was lonely, and by the time I met you it was because I just wanted someone in my life. Meeting you, it saved me, it was far better than anything I ever expected and you let me follow you. After meeting you though I always sought you out, it's actually really easy for me to find you most of the time, other times you find me," Rin answered with the truth.

Sesshomaru seemed to ponder this for a minute.

Then she was up, Bakusaiga clattered to the cave floor as her back was pressed up against the cool stones of the cave wall, his hands gripped her hips and his mouth was on hers' for a hard kiss. Rin barely gasped as her arms came around him and her legs wrapped around his hips. He growled as he pulled away from her, he nipped her bottom lip and she smiled with delight at the action.

"Don't stop," she murmured softly.

"Never," he promised her and she knew this was for more than a night. His mouth was on hers' again, and she smiled a bit as she kiss him back, her fingers tangling themselves in his silver hair. The rain continued to pound into the world outside the cave but suddenly it seemed insignificant. All that mattered was Sesshomaru, his lips on her and his claws gingerly undoing her clothes as he touched her skin.

* * *

She was the reason, Rin was the reason he desired ultimate and supreme power; not that he could say as much as he lowered her to the cave floor. Those brow eyes stared up at him with so much love and trust, Kami did he love this woman, he thought as he kissed her again. She pulled him closer as she arched into him.

He needed the supreme, ultimate, unquestionable power so he could claim her and no one would dare to counter his claim. As he stood right now if he were to claim Rin as his equal and the next mistress of the inuyōkai clan there'd be many civil wars with the inuyōkai along with many external wars with other clans thinking him weak and soft. The funny thing, at least to him this was hiliarious, was Rin was his true strength, she was what motivated him, who loved him, what he guarded and protected with everything he was.

Rin was the reason, and she would never know, and he never wanted her to know. There was also the matter of his pride, if he was the best of the best of the best then no one would ever dare to try to harm him or Rin again. That's why he wanted the supreme power, he thought as his lips trailed over her skin.

* * *

He wasn't a fool, he had waited nearly three hundred years for her second return to this time and he knew what she was doing but it didn't change anything as he looked at the final gift he was to bestow upon Rin from Mikadzuki.

Masaru smiled slightly, so he wouldn't interact with Rin for a while but he had the last gift to give her before she continued with her journey. A very important gift, he mused as he looked at the item in his hand before walking towards inuyōkai territory. It'd be best if he were near her to give her the gift rather than hiding here in tengu territory like he had been for the last fifty years.

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**Not gonna lie, this is my favorite story to write on fanfic and I hope you all are enjoying it s much as I am! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	137. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 18

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Intentions:**_ A Determination to Act in a Certain Way: Resolve…_

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**Chapter 18**

Sesshomaru had her wrapped up securely against him, her breath was heaving as she leaned against his chest, he was still in her and Rin felt wonderful as she slowly relaxed against him.

"You know, your intentions are very devious," Rin huffed out as she let her head fall against his shoulder. Sesshomaru said nothing as he pressed his lips to her temple, she smiled. How was he not even winded? Then again he was Sesshomaru and at this age he was a 'horny boy' as Kagome had told her. Kagome had a lot of strange terminology for a lot of things though so Rin just shoved it out of her head while she let her eyes closed.

"Rin," he whispered her name as he pulled her closer to him, his claws traced over her skin and she giggled a bit.

"That tickles!" she gasped when she squirmed, it didn't dislodge him and his teeth sunk into her shoulder softly to hold her still. Her giggles subsided since he didn't continue tickling her and she figured it was because they were still very connected, she didn't know why he was still in her or why it felt like he was swollen to be even larger in her afterwards.

"Hold still," Sesshomaru growled softly as he released his hold on her.

"Alright," Rin breathed. "You know I do actually have to complete my mission, Sesshomaru?"

"Hn," he replied as he lifted the fang she wore around her neck from between her breasts and held it up for him to examine. She looked over her shoulder to him as he examined the foundation for the fang resting across the way from them. His mokomoko wrapped around her as she shivered and Rin wondered if he even knew he was keeping her warm and safe when he reacted this way. In the quiet, small ways she had come to love from him. Rin let her eyes flutter shut as he continued toying and examining the incomplete fang.

"The rain isn't letting up," Rin mused listening to it pound away mercilessly outside of her refuge.

"Hn," Sesshomaru answered.

"Well I have to return tomorrow, I need to worry about these things Sesshomaru," she informed him as she crack her eye open to look at his profile, he was still intently studying the incomplete fang she was trying to create.

"I'll return you to Setsuna and track Ryūkotsusei for you and retrieve you when I am not on the frontlines," he murmured softly. Rin nodded.

"Why? Why are you fighting the humans?" Rin murmured.

"The Inu no Taisho demanded it." He said it simply as if it was a known fact which she should accept. But Rin couldn't, none of this was a good enough reason to her for this matter. One of what was to come was really worth the losses, but she knew them. She knew Izayoi and InuTaisho, she knew Sesshomaru all here at this moment in time. They were as real to her as if she had grown up with them, she had grown close enough to InuTaisho and Izayoi to dare to call them her friends, and Kami knew she had so few friends in life.

Rin reached up, her fingers traced his jaw line as she rested against him.

However, she was also good friends with Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku and Sango and their brood, Shippo, Shiori, and her Sesshomaru; even his mother. Sighing Rin decided she couldn't interfere with everything to come, but perhaps she could be here to ease some of the pain. Sesshomaru's eyes flicked to her then, she smiled a bit.

"Just be careful," Rin murmumed.

"Hn," he answered and she rolled her eyes, it wouldn't kill him to just promise her not to die on the battlefield. Not that she thought he'd die but still, a promise of his return would be nice.

"Thank you," Rin decided. He didn't answer her as he kissed her again. Rin just melted to his touch as he started touching her again.

"Do not worry so much Rin," he murmured as he pulled away from her lips again. She didn't promise him not to worry as she reached up to kiss him again.

* * *

Izayoi just rubbed her brow as she retreated her quarters. It was most tiring being pregnant and enduring all those meetings, but she was doing it for her love. She would aid him by giving him information on the human moves and she knew this would help in uniting all of them in the long run. Izayoi knew her love had their best intentions in his heart as he fought to unite the humans and the yōkai.

But she could not share this with Rin, just as Rin had her mission for her lord; she had her mission for husband and mate. She could not tell Rin though, to tell Rin was revealing a secret meant to be lost and discarded.

But Kami was this pregnancy draining her! She could barely stay awake for the proceedings which she had assured her fiancé she'd attend. Her body had chosen an inconvenient time to conceive a child, and it didn't help that she only craved to hold her child in her arms, to love her child. Slowly her handmaids helped her shed her layers of her formal kimono before she slid into the hot waters of the bath. How was she supposed to do this and not lose her mind? Izayoi did not know but she knew she hated trying to deceive everyone here so they would think her to be their friend.

But it was apparent only Rin was to be trusted, if she were to tell anyone about what she was doing then surely they would kill her for simply breathing. However, it was clear to her that InuTaisho only trusted herself and Rin in the human ranks. The main problem of that was Rin was not even in the human ranks, nor did she seem inclined to submit to the human hierarchy. Rin didn't seem human most of the time so why would she submit to human wills? Izayoi sighed as her eyes wondered to her firming lower abdomen, though she couldn't feel anything right now and she did not show she figured herself to be about three and a half moons into her pregnancy, soon she would not even be able to hide her child.

Then what? Izayoi didn't know, but she was putting her faith in InuTaisho at this moment.

* * *

**Just a heads up this will be getting mass updates; like huge updates; this week. I'm enjoying writing this too much at the moment and I can't seem to stop. Between this and my original works I'm extremely happy but sleep deprived; I just can't stop though...is it possible to be addicted to writing!? Perhaps this is a side effect to that caffeine addiction of mine...  
**

**Oh well, I'm enjoying this! Perhaps there'll be a few more chapters tonight...? =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	138. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 19

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

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**Intentions:**_ A Determination to Act in a Certain Way: Resolve…_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

The rain would not relent, Rin noticed as she cracked her eyes open to the new morning. The pouring grey had her spirits sinking a bit but the feeling of a heavy warm, strong set of arms wrapped around her and a muscular furry mokomoko snaked around her body pulling hers to his. Rin just sighed as she curled into him.

Content, that's how she felt.

It was a wonderful feeling and she had craved this before she had been dragged down that well. As a young adolescent girl she had craved this, she had dreamt of the day she could announce that she wanted to stay with her lord. She wanted to always feel this loved, this protected, this safe. Being with him, no matter which version of Sesshomaru she was with she wanted to be with him.

"Finally awake," he asked, she jolted a moment as she turned her head to look at his brilliant, glowing amber eyes.

"Did you even sleep!?" Rin gasped, he just blinked in response. "Didn't think so?"

His lips were on hers' then and she just turned in his arms. Kami did she want to stay where she was, to stay with him, to stay here, but as he pulled away to get atop her.

"No, I have to return to Setsuna," Rin murmured.

"Not now," he retorted and she just melted again. There was just no way she could counter him, when he always got what he wanted, after all he was her alpha in life. He always got what he wanted, and she would never deny him. He was ravishing her as his claws fisted in her hair, her fingers slid up his chest and he settled over her. Rin just blinked into those eyes when he pulled away. Alright, she had a little time.

* * *

He had to return to his father today, he knew he did because he was to fight on the frontlines again. He only had today left for his day off; as his father had termed it, so he was not letting Rin go until he had to leave to return. But since he had that which he always craved he wasn't letting her go until he had to. Sesshomaru lifted his head from her to look her over, she just looked beautifully ravished by him.

"Sesshomaru," she breathed his name as she lay there. His lips traveled over her jaw line straight to her mark, his claim, his territory. She shuddered beneath him as his tongue slid over her mark, his internal beast growled in delight while he continued toying with Rin. He did not think he could ever tire of this human, and he did not understand how it was only her who ignited this within him.

"I'm serious Sesshomaru, I have to return to Setsuna," Rin gasped as his lips traveled over her skin. He just nipped her breast and she gasped. This was going to be fun, he mused, he loved toying with Rin and he loved her reactions.

"Later," he growled as his lips closed around her nipple. Rin arched into him, he just enjoyed the feeling of her reacting.

"Sesshomaru!" she breathed. There was time, he decided as he tugged on her, she just groaned a low sultry sound he loved. Rin's fingers tangled in his hair and tugged on him.

"Fine, I give up!" Rin screamed as his tongue slid over her skin. His lips turned into smirk as he lifted his head to come back to kiss her lips.

* * *

InuTaisho stood there heaving as he glared down the ridge at the tattered battle field, those humans had had no reason to die besides them being sent up the hill to die. He hadn't liked slaughtering them, but he had because they hadn't relented in his attacking them. Looking down at his shaking hand he realized that Sō'unga was the one holding onto him then and the metallic scent of blood dripped off of the demonic blade and he snarled. The glee Sō'unga was filling him with was driving him to distraction; was this his glee or the blade's?

InuTaisho's breath hitched as he tried to let the sword go but his fingers wouldn't let it go. His hand shook as he looked up at the bloodied field and he sighed as he gritted his fangs, closed his eyes and held his breath trying to count in his head trying to calm himself. It wouldn't help him though. Sō'unga's hold on him was strong and near suffocating.

"Let me go," he hissed through his clenched teeth.

"Ah, but then you'd try to use those fancy new fangs to protect that annoying human woman," Sō'unga countered. InuTaisho snarled as again he tried to pry his fingers from Sō'unga. The sword's grip was loosened as his will shoved Sō'unga out of his head again. Gasping for air he slid the sword into it's sheath on his back and he fell to his knees then. His heart was hammering in his ribs as he crouched on the ground gasping for air, it felt like the first time he could breathe after drowning.

"That's getting harder," he gasped as he sat back on the balls of his feet before standing and stumbling away towards the inuyōkai base camp. Kami did this hurt.

* * *

"No, I have to get back Sesshomaru!" she laughed as his arms snaked around her again. Her kimono was firmly gripped in her hands as she laughed.

"Not yet," he murmured as he nipped her ear. Rin was laughing so hard that she gasped when she hit the cave wall again and his lips were on her mark. She moaned.

"I really need to go," she groaned as her hands gripped the rocks and her back pressed against his chest. His mouth was distracting her and her body was already ready for him. His claws traced over her latest set of scars.

"After this," Sesshomaru growled, she yelped at the sudden intrusion of her body but then she moaned. After this, she decided as she let her fingers tighten their hold on the rocks. After this she really did have to return to Setsuna though she didn't really want to.

* * *

**As I said, be ready because over the course of this coming week there will be a lot of updates in this story. I just have too much fun writing this, and since I rarely ignore my impulses I'll be following this one until the end. We'll see how far it goes... **

**Between my personal works and this I'm a very happy person! Both are just flowing so well right now! =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	139. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 20

**A Return o Tomorrow... **

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Intentions:**_ A Determination to Act in a Certain Way: Resolve…_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Rin finally stumbled through the halls of Setsuna and decided her lord was trying to kill her. Damn daiyōkai! The endurance he had…Kami, the advantages and disadvantage of being mated to a daiyōkai. They had the endurance of immortals, and it did not help with trying to walk! Rin leaned against the wall and sighed, this was difficult now; damn Sesshomaru! Still, she loved him, but he was not helping her out by jumping her so hard she couldn't walk. Not that she minded, it had felt good but she did need to walk.

"Rin! You're back!" Izayoi said happily as she appeared in the hall of Setsuna.

"Yeah," Rin agreed while still leaning against the wall with a slight smile on her lips.

"Did you get lucky?" Izayoi asked innocently and Rin felt the dreamy grin forming on her lips even as she tried to avoid it.

"Not the kind of lucky you're thinking; I was rained out and holed up in a cave," she said honestly.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Izayoi replied and Rin grinned. She had enjoyed her past few days but the reality was she still hadn't accomplished her intended quest. Not that she had minded but now she really did need to get serious about her going about finding a way to obtain that dragon's blood. Rin knew it was very important, really, really, truly life and death that she obtain that blood and take the fang to Tōtōsai. This was far more important than anyone could know, and she knew she was creating Bakusaiga but how that would save him she wasn't certain at this moment. But it had saved him that first time so perhaps her creating Bakusaiga would save him again.

"No, it's fine, there's always next time," Rin promised. "How's the baby?"

"Busy, I think," her friend got a dreamy look on her eyes then.

"Ah, he will be a rambunctious handful," Rin admitted. Inuyasha was hell on wheels, and he was a rambunctious young man when she knew him but she had a feeling that he had always been a rowdy one.

"I'm hoping for a daughter honestly," her friend informed her.

"Well, how about we aim for a healthy pup?" she decided before she let it slip that Izayoi was going to have a son regardless of her wants. It wouldn't be fair of Rin to reveal all that which the future held. It wouldn't do for her to tell Izayoi that she was to die and that she'd be the reason InuTaisho died. It simply would not do for her to tell all which was transpire within the next few months. Rin had a time table now, she had to accomplish her quest before Izayoi had Inuyasha and before InuTaisho died.

"That's a wonderful idea," Izayoi said wistfully.

"I think so too," Rin admitted as she and Izayoi resumed their slow walk down the hall. It was mostly slow because her legs had yet to start working properly after all Sesshomaru had down to her. And it did not help that her mind would not let her think about something else.

"Takemaru says he'll be home for a few days, would you mind being around when he comes?" Izayoi whispered.

"Not at all, besides this rain isn't letting up and I can't really travel without being jumped so I think I'll be around for a little bit," Rin admitted.

"Jumped?"

"Disregard that statement, Izayoi, it's personal and I didn't mean to say it!" Rin said hastily feeling her face be set aflame. Kami was this embarrassing! Like admitting to your mother you had a lover who made your scream his name in the height of ecstasy when you were suppled to not have a lover.

"Rin! Why didn't say you were meeting up with your mate?" Izayoi hissed.

"Because it's not intentional and none of your business!" Rin retorted but the blush wouldn't leave.

* * *

InuTaisho looked over his shoulder when Sesshomaru walked through the rain towards him. His son didn't look happy but he didn't look displeased either; in fact he looked a lot like his mother at this moment. Indifferent.

A bittersweet feeling filled him as he looked over his son.

Sesshomaru would truly be a greater Inu no Taisho than he could have ever been especially with InuKimi's temper in him. There was so much about Sesshomaru which would make him a better leader than he could have ever been; InuTaisho acknowledged this. But for all his wonderful qualities to be a leader, he held no interest in leading anyone anywhere. Sesshomaru was a loner, InuTaisho had noticed this with the cold and callous way his son could leave if he so chose and feel no guilt about it.

"You're taking over Sesshomaru," InuTaisho announced. "I have two spies, Kujaku and her mate Saiten scouting the human forces."

"Hn," Sesshomaru answered and InuTaisho scowled slightly.

"I'm going, I'll return in five days," InuTaisho said then he ran. He wasn't like his son who had so many unknown abilities, he had to run if he wanted to meet with Izayoi. Besides he had Myoga keeping an eye on his mate and with Rin here that was enough defense if you asked him. Rin was more than capable of protecting Izayoi and his unborn pup.

* * *

Takemaru just scowled as he sat there sharpening his blade. She had been tainted, he still didn't hate her but he still wanted her. He'd kill the child after it was born to redeem her honor and he'd claim her as his own, after all he had been in love with Izayoi since they had been young children. She was his, her father had promised her to him and now she was tainted and carrying another man's child. Izayoi was not to blame for the atrocities of other men but it didn't dull the ache in him any less. He hadn't been able to be there to save her or stop the attack which impregnanted her. However he would not let her be tormented by forcing her to live with her rapist's child. The child would die, and Izayoi would be his then. All his, the thought was wonderful.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	140. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 21

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Able to Become Strong, Healthy, or Successful After Something Bad Happens…_

* * *

**Chapter 21**

Life in Setsuna was dull, Rin noticed this immediately and with the rain pouring mercilessly over them it was clear that there'd be no escaping today to find a way to dragon territory for her. Besides it didn't help that Takemaru was to be returning at any moment and Izayoi was meeting with InuTaisho. Yes, that was happening again because InuTaisho had literally swept Izayoi off her feet and whisked her far beyond the walls of Setsuna to lay claim. Honestly! Inu daiyōkai and their need to lay claim to their mates, it had Rin rolling her eyes and refraining from pointing out that there was no need to lay claim when they were already claimed.

It must be an inu thing, Rin figured as she leaned against the post of Setsuna looking out at the merciless rain pounding on the greenery of the garden. It was beautiful, she'd admit that and it was getting a little old, she did have to complete her quest sooner rather than later.

Rin's cold fingers were hidden within the sleeves of her kimono as she watched the world around her and thought of her problem. From what she knew of Ryūkotsusei he was an indestructible dragon but he was also the strongest of his kind, revered to be almost as powerful as a deity. She'd be insane to demand him for his blood…

However no one said she was sane so she saw no problem with her taking it. Human she may be but resilient and determined trumped being human any day of the year. She would do this and she would get what she needed to save Sesshomaru but the only question was: would Bakusaiga cut a dragon?

She didn't know the answer to that; Rin wasn't usually the one testing out her lord's fang but in this case it appeared she'd be making an exception for Ryūkotsusei. This wasn't her job, Sesshomaru was supposed to be the one to unlock all of Bakusaiga's secrets but it appeared that she'd be unlock a few anyway. Besides, she didn't think her lord would be all that mad about it because she needed Bakusaiga to stay alive and save him. So perhaps this wouldn't be all that horrible. She shook her head, it would be that horrible, but worse was that she needed to complete this sooner rather than later.

But the rain wouldn't stop!

Kami this was getting to be a frustration she didn't think she could continue to handle. Everything was working against her at this point, but Rin was determined to do this. Weather be damned, if this storm did not clear up soon then she'd go despite the weather. She'd didn't care if she died after she completed her quest, her life wasn't all that important and she had already been to the land of the dead; twice. Her family was waiting for her there, but she lived for Sesshomaru so she'd save him.

* * *

Sesshomaru leapt into the air, his claws unleashed the light to slash through these bodies as he snarled. Arrows flew at him, he enveloped himself in light as he zoomed into the storming sky. He felt his fangs elongate as his beast rose to the surface, Sesshomaru repressed the feeling because these insects were not worth his true form.

Slamming onto the earth again his claws dripping with poison, he released a feral snarl to incite fear into their hearts, the men screamed and he lunged into their ranks. This battle was also a massacre but he didn't care, these humans demanded this, they demanded the battle and they demanded the annihilation of the yōkai who were clearly more evolved then them. So they were the ones demanding their own deaths. And since they were so eager to die he would give them that which they craved and demanded.

A warrior came at him with a sword drawn, his mokomoko stabbed the man in the center of his chest then he whipped his fur so the man's body crashed into his comrades. The scent of their blood was disgusting and made him want to gag but he refrained as his claws whipped around to rip out a man's throat. The death gurgle of the man had his comrades backing up.

"You insolent pests," Sesshomaru said indifferently as he dropped the man's throat to the bloodied ground. The humans backed up a bit. The sour stench of their fear had his nose twitching, death was not a scent which bothered him but this fear. The fear they had of death, it bothered him for it was more pungent than the scent of their blood, and their rotting corpses. His ears heard the crows scream, the thunder boom, and then the rain started again. The never ceasing rain which was now pounding down on the slaughter of the humans.

"Kill him men!" a man shouted. A spear came at his chest, he used two fingers to catch and stop the blade as he stood there on the bloody ground while the rain streaked over him.

"Kill me? You truly are fools for the slaughter," Sesshomaru said it in a hard quiet voice as the lightning cackled through the air electrocuting the wind as the thunder roared to shake the bloody ground. A cold smile curled his lips, the humans scrambled away from him then. The wind danced and the thrill of this kill filled him as he looked to the leader of the humans.

"You could never kill me if you tried," he snarled then he shattered the blade in his fingers, he drew his claws back dripping with all their poison as he lunged forward. His prey only had a chance to gasp as his head was severed from his shoulders. Sesshomaru turning as his poisoned light whips gracefully slid from his fingers to slash down the men surrounding him. If they wanted to kill him then he'd let them try.

But he was not so weak as to succumb to a human!

Sesshomaru snarled as again he continued the slaughter of these annoying insects without discrimination or mercy. Let them die, he hated them all. Leaping at the next group of men there were screams which mingled with the cries of the crows, the roar of the thunder and the cackling of lightning. Let them die, the fools.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	141. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 22

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Able to Become Strong, Healthy, or Successful After Something Bad Happens…_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Izayoi hadn't even known what was happening, one moment she was walking with Rin in Setsuna just as the rain started and the next she was in her lover's arms as they ran through the rain and now she was in a small hut. His swords were all propped against the wall of the hut and he had her wrapped up securely in his arms as if he couldn't let her go. Worse, she could feel the little tremblings slipping through him as he hid his face in the crook of her neck. Carefully she reached up to stroke his hair.

"What's the matter dearest?" she whispered.

There was no answer but his grip pulled her closer to him if that was possible. So he wasn't going to tell her if something was on his mind. She could live with that as she just let him hold her and his child close to him.

"How's Rin?" he finally murmured.

"She's Rin, and she's been sneaking off the grounds lately to continue with her mission," Izayoi answered. "I still have no idea what she's doing."

"That's alright, I'll speak with Rin later and in private. I have a few questions for her." InuTaisho finally pulled away from her to pull her disheveled hair aside. She just smiled softly as she looked into those expressive, loving amber eyes. He was so handsome, so kind and gentle, she loved that about him despite his gruff nature. She hoped their child inherited his eyes, she really, really hoped that those eyes would be in her child because they were just so exotic and beautiful. She couldn't remember ever seeing prettier eyes in her life.

"What exactly does Rin know that you want to know?" Izayoi asked.

"Many things, Rin is a very mysterious female, but for now, she holds answers in reguards to my sons and their futures," InuTaisho answered.

"Daughter, I'm having another girl," Izayoi insisted. Her lover smiled a bit but didn't look amused. Rather he looked saddened, her heart ached remembering their daughter but she loved this child. Her hand covered his, the one resting over where their child was in her.

"Love, I hate to break it to you but you're giving me another son," InuTaisho informed her and she scowled.

"And how can you be so confident about that!?" she demanded.

"You mean besides Rin? This nose, nothing hides from me," he whispered seductively in her ear, she frowned as she blushed. But if he was so confident that they were having a son then she could live with that.

"Fine, but the next one I want a daughter," she promptly stated. His head fell back as he laughed happily. Izayoi was completely serious, the next child she had, she wanted a daughter. Sons, and men, were fighters and fighting lead to wars and wars lead to death. She never wanted to bury her son because he had gotten into a fight that he couldn't win.

* * *

InuTaisho could see why his son was so enamored with a human woman, they were truly interesting creatures with personalities to match. It was truly entertaining; there was also the physical aspect of them which made them all the more appealing. They were so tight it was amazing, and their beauty was unique, InuTaisho found his mate's body to be the most mysterious thing he had ever come across, all the differences between her and female inuyōkai. However that wasn't important at this moment in time as he leaned back and carefully kept Izayoi on his lap.

"Did you talk with the humans?" he asked her. His mate turned serious then.

"Yes, and they'll be moving to flank the yōkai camp as soon as they find it. Apparently Takemaru hired Muhai and the Taijiya to help eradicate the yōkai," Izayoi stated. He frowned. The Taijiya were no problem for him but some of the weaker yōkai in his allies would not stand a chance against the well trained humans of the Taijiya. He had long since learned to acknowledge the prowess of his opponents so he could give them the proper respect.

Something Sesshomaru had yet to learn, but the pup had time, he would grow and change and become a far betting Inu no Taisho than he was. He could freely admit it. He had high hopes for Sesshomaru, but he would need Rin and that was something InuTaisho needed to talk to Rin about. He needed to know a few things about what was to come and he had a sinking feeling in his heart that he was not going to be in this world much longer. It was a reality he was facing with courage though. He would not be a coward to run from his fate.

"Also, Takemaru's generals and advisors want to meet Rin, she's been missing all the times they're in Setsuna but I do not think she can evade them for forever," Izayoi said softly.

"Rin is not evading them," InuTaisho stated.

"Huh?"

"I have a feeling if Rin was evading no one but her mate would be able to find her. She'd slippery that way, also she's far too smart to be caught if she were evading. I would believe my troublesome little daughter-in-law is just coming and going as she pleased which happily coincides with Takemaru's advisors and generals coming." InuTaisho was relatively certain that was the case.

Rin wasn't foolhardy enough to hang around the humans if they were actually looking to meet her. She was too much like Sesshomaru in that way, if they wanted to meet her and she knew; he had a feeling that then she'd pull her ultimate disappearing act and just vanish. And with Rin that was a real possibility.

"A coincidence?" Izayoi challenged.

"Yes, if Rin knew she'd be long gone," InuTaisho said confidently. He didn't know much about the woman but what he remembered of her before these past few years she was a very difficult woman to track. He hadn't been able to find her or Sesshomaru after he finally killed the Panther King, Tōtōsai had had to return Sesshomaru with his dragon egg and all they could say was Rin was gone.

Then she had reappeared last year to vanish for nearly another year and she had returned again.

So yes, he believe fullheartedly that if Rin knew she was wanted then she would disappear without a trace with ease.

"Alright, but InuTaisho, the humans are coming for you," Izayoi said seriously.

"It'll be alright, love, I just need to talk with Rin," he assured her as he kissed her chastely on the lips. His mate just looked baffled sitting on his lap, and he smiled as his claws slid into her hair. Kami did he love this woman.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	142. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 23

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Able to Become Strong, Healthy, or Successful After Something Bad Happens…_

* * *

**Chapter 23**

Rin walked silently in the garden, avoiding the guards since it was coming to the evening and Izayoi had yet to be returned by InuTaisho. Being confronted by armed human men was not something she particularly wanted at this moment. Thus the reason she was hiding in this jungle like garden. Biting her lip she peeked through the wet leaves as the raindrops slid through her skin, down her face, slipping to her skin covered with a silk kimono. The guards were talking nonsense about some woman in the village they both fancied, Rin just rolled her eyes.

"Rin," she stifled her yelp as she spun around grabbing Bakusaiga but a strong clawed hand snatched her wrist before she could grab the blade.

"InuTaisho! Don't scare me like that!" Rin hissed as her immediate defenses dropped and she relaxed where she stood. "Kami, inu daiyōkai are going to be the death of me," she sighed as she rubbed her brow with her released hand.

"I returned Izayoi, she retired for the evening. The pup is sapping much of her energy," InuTaisho murmured softly.

"So I've noticed but it's not that unusual," Rin promised. Most pregnant women were tired, but it was a taxing feat to grow another little person in you so of course she'd be exhausted. But Rin wasn't going to say anything about that to InuTaisho because then he'd become even more over protective; when Kagome had snapped that to Inuyasha he had all but glued himself to her. There were a few excessive sit commands if Rin remembered correctly.

"That's good then, so long as she does not lose this pup…" he trailed off. Rin stared at him as his amber eyes grew distant and she frowned.

"What is it? Did something happen to Sesshomaru?" Rin demanded before she could really think about what she was demanding. Her heart was slamming mercilessly in her ribs then as she stared at her father-in-law.

"Huh? No, I just…" he looked like Inuyasha then trying to ask for a favor which he couldn't ask for for whatever reason.

"What is it?" Rin repeated softly as she touched his massive forearm. The mighty Inu no Taisho then stared down at her with helpless amber eyes.

"I need to know, everything, to come," he murmured softly and Rin pulled her hand away then as she tried to step back from him. She couldn't tell him, no she couldn't! It was a promise she had made to herself, she would change nothing, nothing! Kami she couldn't tell him anything of what was to come! She couldn't but those eyes pierced her so she was frozen where she stood. Her hand fisted over her heart as she stood there trying to think of a way to evade his demand to know everything to come.

"I... I-I-I…No! I can't…no! No, No, No!" Rin started furiously shaking her wet head then as she tried to clear the thought out of her head. His hand grabbed her and before she could protest he was dragging her out of Setsuna. She tried to struggle against him but it was futile, it was clear to see where his sons had gotten their strength!

* * *

InuTaisho had returned Izayoi as soon as she had fallen asleep, he hadn't even mated with the woman but she had fallen asleep quickly so he had returned her. Tucking her into her sleeping quarters on her bed, she hadn't even stirred. Despite his desire to sit guard over his mate he had retreated to find Rin, she had been hiding in the garden. If his son's scent wasn't stubbornly lingering on her he wouldn't have even noticed her, but Sesshomaru's scent was all over and in the girl so he had found her. Now he was carrying her out of Setsuna to take her where he had taken Izayoi because he needed answers. Kami, did he ever need answers. And lately Sō'unga wouldn't let him go and was recently trying to take over his mind and body, so he felt it important he talk to Rin and talk to her now rather than later when it'd be too late.

However, the girl had looked panic stricken and stood there defying him.

"Enough Rin!" he finally snapped against his struggling daughter-in-law who finally froze in his grasp. Running for the hut where he had taken Izayoi he decided he'd try to interrogate Rin for the answers he needed before it was too late. The girl was mute with wide unblinking dark eyes.

When they arrived in the hut he set her down and she just stood there frozen, like a doe captured by her worst fear, InuTaisho felt remorseful for this but it had to be done.

"Enough Rin, tell me now. I must know about everything to come, I gave you a pearl, why? You speak of my sons as if you know them both, what is to come in the future woman! My time is ending, I can feel it now tell me! Tell me everything now!" he snapped as he grabbed her shoulders. The girl just stared at him with wide unblinking dark eyes.

"I can't!" Rin shouted then, her tears came then.

"Why not!?" he barked.

"Because! Then you'll fight it! And if you fight everything to come then the future can be so much worse!" Rin sobbed and he stiffened at her words. "I don't want you to die! I don't want anyone to die! You're my friends! But if I tell you…then-th-then you'll fight it!" her words were coming out in hard breathy sobs and he stiffened. This was clearly something she had been thinking a lot about, and it was clear now it was hurting her, why ever he would give a girl a time traveling pearl for yōkai he would never know. The poor girl looked so torn up and sad, he stiffened when she hugged him and sobbed uncontrollably in his chest. What was he supposed to do now!?

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	143. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 24

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Able to Become Strong, Healthy, or Successful After Something Bad Happens…_

* * *

**Chapter 24**

The sobs finally relented as she hung onto InuTaisho, he felt like a father just then as he stroked her hair reassuringly. Finally she was only sniffling as she curled into him, she remembered being held like this by her father once, long…long, ago. Keeping her face hidden in her father-in-law's chest as she just tried to calm her mind and heart.

"Rin, you need to tell me," InuTaisho whispered as he continued stroking her hair.

"I can't, you'll try to avoid it," she mumbled as she continued hiding in his chest. She did not dare to look up to her father-in-law because she could afford to lose sight of the why she was here. Why she would leave. Why she carried her burdens alone. The challenge she had faced had nearly destroyed her; the question was never _**would**_ she change time if she could. What human wouldn't? There were things in the past that everyone wished the change.

The challenge Rin had been fighting was _**should**_ she change time if she could.

"I'm a dying creature Rin, I can feel it in my bones, in my heart, in my very being and because I can feel myself dying I am asking you to tell me all that you know about what is to come," he murmured this softly. She peeked to him because he sounded so forelorn as he held her close. "I can not avoid my fate, I know this, I only hope I die fighting. However the way you speak of the future of the life you lead, the time you say you are from it sounds as if I planned for my son's to handle a few matters of my unfinished business."

"You did," Rin promised him as she sat up wiping her eyes from her tears.

"Tell me, I need to plan Rin and I do not believe Sō'unga will permit me to live long."

"You're not going to try to change anything?" she mumbled as she bit her lip. She so desperately wanted to tell him, tell someone about where she was from but she was also terrified of the future being changed. So desperately and irrationally terrified of losing everything she had in life if one little change was made in this time.

"There's no point, for even if I do manage to live longer; Sō'unga will consume my soul eventually. I've wielded him for over two thousand years, I knew this would happen eventually. Sō'unga was always going to kill me," InuTaisho said this absently as if it were no big deal. Rin just stared at him with wet eyes as again the tears welled in them, she did not wish to lose a friend but it sounded as if he knew his fate was already sealed and he was not fighting it.

"Setsuna no Takemaru is the one to kill you, after you resurrect Izayoi with Tenseiga." she started softly as she looked directly at InuTaisho's chest so she couldn't look into those expressive amber eyes. "Takemaru killed Izayoi on the night of the lunar eclipse when she is birthing Inuyasha, or so I'm told. According to a very dear friend of yours, you infused a part of your soul to Tenseiga to resurrect two humans; only once though. First you brought Izayoi back to life the night of her first death, you brought me back from my first death second.

"Tenseiga, the sword of healing cannot retrieve human souls from the Netherworld because to save Izayoi and myself it meant infusing a part of your soul into us because we're human. It saved Izayoi, she lived a long life to a ripe old age with an unusual good health according to your son Inuyasha.

"You bequeathed Inuyasha the Tetsusiega, and Sesshomaru the Tenseiga and Sō'unga was dropped down the very well I travel to come here to be lost to time until your sons were able to destroy him. The reason you did not give Sesshomaru Tetsusiega is while he wants it, he never needed it while Inuyasha needs Tetsuseiga to seal his demonic spirit away so he does not become a soulless killing monster. The power of your blood which flows in his veins is too powerful for his hanyō nature; it's not often a daiyōkai and human sire a hanyō and it's difficult for their offspring to keep their inner beast in check.

"You seal Ryūkotsusei away as a final test for Inuyasha to manage to gain complete control of Tetsuseiga and his inner beast. After that Inuyasha and his pack will go about defeating a notorious hanyō imposter known as Naraku.

"My lord, your son Sesshomaru was given Tenseiga; why I'll never know but he was to master it and relinquish hold of it's Meidō Zangetsuha to the Tetsuseiga. However, because of this it's what ultimately gave my lord Bakusaiga," Rin said as she pulled up the fang she had been working to create. InuTaisho looked at the pendant then at her fang then at the pendant before frowning.

"Rin, that's nothing but a common fang," he pointed out. She smiled bitterly.

"True, it looks that way, but it takes about three hundred years before my lord was able to summon it, re-growing the arm Inuyasha sliced off with Tetsuseiga. You hid Tetsuseiga so Sesshomaru-sama could not get to it but so Inuyasha could, you hid a black pear within Inuyasha's eye apparently. I was not present for these events but I've been told about them numerous times.

"Ultimately it's Inuyasha who the Tetsuseiga belonged to as he went about breaking all of it's secrets. Very impressive. It's still not as impressive as my lord summoning Bakusaiga but it was impressive all the same." Rin would admit that Inuyasha was impressive in his own right, but not nearly as impressive as her lord and love, Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru was just…Kami help her there was no way to describe how much more amazing Sesshomaru was than Inuyasha. Inuyasha just dulled in comparison to his brother and her lord.

"Heh," InuTaisho smiled a bit as he thought about what she said. "Say Rin, can you tell me about my son; Inuyasha is it?"

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	144. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 25

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Resilient:** _Able to Become Strong, Healthy, or Successful After Something Bad Happens…_

* * *

**Chapter 25**

"His name is Inuyasha, right?" InuTaisho persisted and Rin bit her lip then as she thought about what she was to say.

"Inuyasha, his mother says you named him, and after having met you I can swear to you he's exactly like you," Rin decided. "He's brash, impulsive, abrasive, invasive, demanding, needy, a little clingy, a fighter, stubborn, determined, and he's strong. He fell in love with a miko when he was seeking out the Shikon no Tama to become a full-fledged yōkai, her name was Kikyo. But, because of conscious choices that she made on her own, she and Inuyasha were ripped apart. She pinned him to a tree with a sacred arrow, and for the longest time he was accused of being her killer.

"Then came Kikyo's reincarnation; Kagome, she comes from the Higurashi family who runs the Higurashi family shrine in the far future. She broke his seal and he came back to life; needless to say he and Sesshomaru…well…uh…

"Theydontgetalong! At all," Rin rushed out and InuTaisho laughed. Rin just frowned.

"It isn't funny! They try to kill one another quite often, even now that they get along somewhat better they still try to kill one another!" Rin snapped.

"Rin, aside from you Sesshomaru does not get along with anyone to my knowledge. And as of late he's been intent on killing me in our practices lately," InuTaisho chuckled. She punched his shoulder then sighed.

"Inuyasha, is exactly like you but a little ruder and a little more surly. Actually, meeting made Inuyasha make a lot of sense, you two are a lot alike. In both the best and worst ways, and if he and Sesshomaru weren't so intent on killing one another they'd probably get along. If people just tried to not irritate Sesshomaru he wouldn't be so surly."

"So Inuyasha, is he good?"

"He's…he's a really, really, really good friend of mine, and next to Sesshomaru and Shippo, he's one of my best friends," Rin answered honestly as she thought about it. "And if he and Sesshomaru weren't so similar with such drasitcially different personalities they might be friends one day. However Inuyasha, he's good. Kagome needs to give him a few dozen 'sit' commands but other than that he's a great man. You should be proud."

"How strong is he?"

"He killed Ryūkotsusei, after you sealed him away," Rin pointed out. That was really the only truly huge accomplishment that she knew Inuyasha to have done completely on his own without the help of his pack. All of his other major accomplishments had been done with the help of his friends and pack when needed. InuTaisho just looked a bit impressed.

"That's truly a feat," InuTaisho informed her.

"So I'm told," Rin admitted with a watery smile. InuTaisho just grinned.

"Tell me everything you know then," InuTaisho ordered.

"Alright," Rin sighed and the glared defiantly into those amber eyes. "But, you cannot alter anything to come, promise," she snarled.

"Alright, I'm a dying man anyway," InuTaisho informed her as he leaned back. Rin pondered this for a minute then she decided to speak.

* * *

Izayoi woke to the rapping on her door.

"My lady," she looked and groaned.

"Rin," Izayoi groaned as she sat up, the world spun for a moment and then Rin was in the room then. Sighing Izayoi rubbed over her face as she woke up to think about what they were to do. Well, more of what she was going to do since she had to endure more meetings, and plans which Takemaru had intended for her. Izayoi had no desire to continue to endure these meetings which she spied on for InuTaisho but she loved him and she wanted to do anything to help him out.

"Here, it will help with the nausea, and this will help with keeping the baby, and this will help with the fainting," Rin said as she showed her which herbs she needed.

"And you know this how?"

"Remember those hanyō friends I spoke of…" Rin said snarkily.

"Don't be snippy with me this early in the morning; I'm older than you and I'm the lady here." Izayoi grumbled while she sipped the tea Rin had brewed for her. It did not taste good but she trusted Rin in this matter, Rin had known the antidotes to inuyōkai poison and despite Izayoi's best attempts she could never replicate it.

"Lady you may be but my lord's Rin I am; so I out rank you and drink your tea," Rin stated icily.

Izayoi pouted but sipped her tea before starting in on her breakfast. It was nice to have Rin back here. She smiled to herself as she sat in silence with Rin while they ate.

* * *

Sesshomaru stood in the middle of the inuyōkai camp bored with this battle already. Mostly because this was not much of a fight, it was a massacre, livestock to the slaughter, and pointless. He would not be getting challenge from these humans any time soon. He knew this but he was following his father's orders.

"Fumio, Chieko, your turn," Sesshomaru said coldly as he walked away from the inuyōkai camp. It was time for him to resume his aiding of Rin, he would locate Ryūkotsusei now that he was not the one ordered to the front lines to kill the humans. Walking he enveloped himself in light as he flew straight for the dragon territory.

His feet landed on the wet grass, the rain slid over his body as he stared down at the dragon's territory. He did not know what Rin was up to, he did not know what she was planning but he trusted Rin, he would continue to trust her and he would continue to aid her. Sesshomaru merely trusted Rin, and that's why he walked onto the forbidden territory of the dragons to find the dragon which she sought. Then he'd return to the frontlines to continue fighting his father's vain plan to unite the humans and yōkai.

It would never work but he would support his father until Rin was in danger, until then he did not care about this pointless war.

Humans and yōkai would never coexist or be united.

* * *

**Alright, six chapters written today of this... So tomorrow I'll try for ten!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**I'll be back after sleep, food and more caffeine... (not necessarily in that order but still, I have needs. Not many needs, and not important ones, but to function they need to be taken care of.)**

**Night!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	145. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 26

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Foresight:** _Action in Reference to the Future; provident care, prudence, wise forethought…_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

He knew now how he had been able to plan everything for his sons.

Rin had given him incredible foresight as to everything to come and she was the reason he was able to go about starting his little will. Inuyasha would be powerful, in time. As to Sesshomaru…

Sesshomaru had never really needed him, he needed Rin and Rin needed the Tenseiga. With time perhaps Sesshomaru would come to understand this but he knew that in all likelihood he wouldn't. Sesshomaru was just too much like InuKimi to see this incredible need he'd have of Tenseiga, Tenseiga was perhaps the greatest gift he could give his elder son because Rin was creating the most important gift for him to receive. Ever.

Bakusaiga.

The very proof that Sesshomaru was to be greater than him, the proof that Sesshomaru would be the most powerful Inu no Taisho to ever live and possibly the most powerful daiyōkai to ever be brought into existence. And Rin…well, he knew she could not see just how important she was however he could. Rin was a very important young woman, and he hoped that his son would realize this, that Tenseiga would recognize her to save her for Sesshomaru.

For now though, he had preparations to take care of. He had to have a course of action for his sons and according to Rin he had had one in place at the time of his death. And he had faithful servants who would be able to carry out his will, first though he had to create the will. Before the lunar eclipse; for he had sworn to Rin that he would not fight or evade his fate. So he would not, he would simply embrace it. After all, he had lived a very good, long life, he had witnessed the rise and fall of empires, fought battles which were now legends, and only he had tamed and conquered Sō'unga but the sword had devoured his soul of the millennium. He had lived a long a fruitful life, he had loved, he had lost, and he had met the most extraordinary little walking ghost who was but was not human who would tame his wild son.

That little ghost had been the one to assure him of his sons' futures, the loves they would have, the losses they would endure, the power they would obtain, the feats they could achieve, and the legacy he was leaving behind. Next to Izayoi and InuKimi, Rin was the most important woman in his life and he held enormous love for Inuyasha's Kagome though he would never meet the miko. He was certain now, when he passed, his sons would be safe, loved and well cared for. In a large way Rin had brought him peace, a peace he knew not many parents experienced before their deaths.

For that, he would do as he had promised and not evade the fate coming to him. Besides, it would be a glorious death defending the life of his mate and sealing away a notorious dragon for his merciless crimes. InuTaisho could live with that being his fate and death because it was honorable and glorious, it was the death he would always desire and now he would have it.

* * *

Walking was the best course of action, he could not arrive too soon, but too late and he'd miss his chance. Timing for giving Rin, Mikadzuki's final gift to her was crucial from what Mikadzuki had told him. And if he walked the entire way then there was no way he could screw this up. Then again he'd hope for the best, this was Rin he was thinking about and after having met her Masaru knew Rin was the unpredictable sort.

Then again Mikadzuki had yet to be wrong.

* * *

Rin stood there staring at the skies. If the rain did not relent in the next few days she was going to leave regardless of the weather and track down Ryūkotsusei. She had to find that dragon, preferably before the lunar eclipse because by then; at least from what she remembered of her history lessons when she wasn't sleeping, he was sealed the night of the lunar eclipse. The same night Inuyasha was born, Izayoi died her first death, Takemaru died his first death, and the night InuTaisho sacrificed his life for his mate and son.

"What are you planning Rin?" she looked over her shoulder to her current mistress and friend.

"Nothing, I'm just thinking about what I'm to do if this rain does not let up," Rin answered honestly. What would she do if the rain did not relent for a moment in time so she could complete her mission? She had to save Sesshomaru, at any costs.

Because she couldn't live without him.

Rin pulled out the fang she wore around her neck and looked at it. All it needed was a little bit of a dragon's life blood, but she couldn't just have any dragon. Rin could not in good conscious change all the coming futures.

"You must love your lord an awful lot," Izayoi murmured as she stood beside her.

"I do," Rin admitted again. It did not really matter to whom she admitted this too because she could never seem to cease saying it. She loved Sesshomaru-sama completely, irrevocably and dangerously. Loving him was her entire purpose in life and it had been since before she had met him, because she had loved her silver dream friend.

"Then a word of advice Rin, the same advice you gave me but simplified. Listen to your heart, go if you need to go, I'm not helpless nor am I defenseless, I'll be fine and if you return I will be pleased to have a friend within these walls again. If you do not return then I hope everything worked out for you," Izayoi said softly. Rin looked to her friend, a friend who she would never be able to help and felt sorrow.

"Izayoi, if I am to never see you again, I don't think I've ever said it but thank you. Thank you for everything, every kindness you have shown me, every tolerance you have given me, and for every bit of patience I know I must take up. You are truly, next to my mother of course, the kindest human woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and knowing. And I'm not particularly fond of humans so it was a true pleasure for me to meet you," Rin said honestly. Then she hugged Izayoi, the pregnant woman's arms wrapped around her and Rin blinked back her tears.

_Goodbye Inuyasha, I'll meet you again and next time I see you I'll have loads to tell you about your father and mother_, she thought as she stepped away from Izayoi then hurried to her quarters to get her minimal things before she would leave.

* * *

**How about five chapters today!? I forgot about the errands I had to take care of today and that's cut my writing time a bit! Sorry!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	146. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 27

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Foresight:** _Action in Reference to the Future; provident care, prudence, wise forethought…_

* * *

**Chapter 27**

Without shoes Rin slipped out of the compound again with her meger supplies, a bow with some arrows, and Bakusaiga. Izayoi had given her some food so she wouldn't starve but Rin wasn't too worried about her starving to death, she was worried about Ryūkotsusei killing her. Dashing silently into the forest Rin just thought about her plan and the layout of the land.

Ryūkotsusei should not be that hard to find, at least she didn't think he'd be that hard to find. She had seen his skeleton; he was the size of village, and according to everything she remembered he was rather proud about always staying in his true form rather than shifting between forms. Rin pondered this and frowned, she was really eating those words she had shouted at InuKimi one lesson.

'_History's useless! I'm never going to use it! I want to go train!' Rin had shouted then stomped out of her lesson. InuKimi had an eye twitch for some reason._

Yep, Rin would never again tell InuKimi that history was useless and she'd never use it because right now Rin was straining her human mind to try to figure out how to do this and not alter the history they would come to know. She remembered InuTaisho's and Ryūkotsusei's final battle being a grudge match but over what she couldn't remember, she also happened to know that Ryūkotsusei had been highly offended about some injury or other which he had been dealt but by whom and why that was important Rin didn't know. Though she was beginning to get an idea of how history seemed to work.

Was she thrilled…not at all.

However, to save her lord and not alter history to be a worse state than it was to come to be she had to think and think hard about what she was going to do. She had to plan this all carefully, and she had to get the fang in Sesshomaru and not die. Though either Sesshomaru or Ryūkotsusei could kill her because of this mission. Rin sighed, life was so much simpler before Magatsuhi had manifested.

However, Magatsuhi needed to manifest so Sesshomaru could summon Bakusaiga.

Why did fate and history have to be so complicated!?

She truly wanted to scream this at the top of her lungs as she started walking towards the dragon territory. The rain was soaking her but she didn't really care, she just needed to get to Ryūkotsusei before the lunar eclipse, and she needed to then plan on how she was to get the fang within Sesshomaru.

One task at a time, her mind chimed and again she felt like sighing. Instead she straightened her shoulders and continued forward. This wasn't the end of her world. She could accomplish this, she wasn't some weakling, she was her lord's Rin and she was not going to fail him. Rin would never fail her lord! She refused to fail Sesshomaru after all he had done for her.

However, when she met up with her Sesshomaru from her time she was going to be giving him a piece of her mind. This wasn't fair! She should not be the one running around and slipping in and out of time. Rin did not like this! She hated it and when she got her hands on the fates again she was strangling them.

Until then though, and until she returned to her own time she would continue on with her little quest and pray that she did not destroy all the events to come. Also she made a mental note to apologize to InuKimi for saying history was useless, she would never again look at history in the same manner. History was a very, very, very important subject and when she met up with her mentor again she'd beg InuKimi to teach her history again; _**and this time she would not sleep through it!**_

Inhaling sharply she steeled her resolve and decided that she was going to go face the most terrifying dragon to ever rule over the Dragon Tribe, she would face Ryūkotsusei without fear. She would not embarrass Sesshomaru by being afraid of a dragon. Especially when she was terrified.

* * *

She was gone, Izayoi had seen her leave and her heart was breaking. She was alone again, her hand slid over her abdomen to rub her baby. She would not be weak, no she would not. InuTaisho needed her to be brave, to face the demons coming, to face the challenges ahead, she would not surrender to her fears. She could be like Rin, she'd prove it, she would take after Rin and make her own spot in the world rather than conforming to a particular spot and place in this world as Takemaru had demanded of her.

Izayoi would be fine, InuTaisho and her would raise their child and everything would be fine.

Until then she was going to do her best to take everything one day at a time, there was nothing else she could at the moment. Also she would continue to feed InuTaisho information on the human movements in this war. She wanted to live a long life with her love, and she didn't care about anything else. Well, she cared about InuTaisho and her baby but nothing else really.

* * *

Sesshomaru was not happy about his summons as he materialized in the inuyōkai camp, he had been close to finding Ryūkotsusei for Rin but now he was summoned back. Again. Far sooner than he'd have liked and by his father's generals no less. It was insulting. Could they not see he was busy!? He had more pressing matters that the slaughtering of foolish insects.

"What is it?" he demanded sharply walking into the tent where his father should be and he frowned. Where was InuTaisho?

"No one can find the Inu no Taisho, or Myoga," his eyes narrowed on a general. Then he thought about this problem for it was a truly serious problem. if there was no Inu no Taisho to lead the Inuyōkai Clan then there'd be ruin. However Sesshomaru did not believe his father to be a deserter. Then again, he had never thought his father would have a human mate.

"I'll find him," Sesshomaru decided. Internally he apologized to Rin for failing her at this moment but he'd make it up to her. He would find Ryūkotsusei for her; right after he throttled his absent father.

"Good, we'll continue on here as if there is nothing wong," a general declared. Sesshomaru turned to walk into the crying rain.

"Hn," he answered then he enveloped himself into light to go to Setsuna. It was his starting point again.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	147. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 28

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Foresight:** _Action in Reference to the Future; provident care, prudence, wise forethought…_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

Rain wasn't that bad, but at this moment Rin was tired of it, finally though she made it to the fringes of the dragon territory. It had taken her four days but she had made it, Rin smiled in achievement as she tilted her head back to look into the rain. It felt amazing to have finally made it here! There was nothing holding her back now as she carefully walked through the brush. Dragons were not something Rin particularly wanted to run into unless they were A-Un but the likelihood of that happening was slim so she'd proceed with caution.

Slipping through the foliage Rin sought out shelter, she didn't need much, just enough to rest her weary body and mind, she just needed a little time before her journey continued. A midnight strand of wet hair slid across her face, she frowned at the tinted blue strand as she found her shelter. One thing was for certain, after this trip of hers', she was hiding in a hot spring. Rin could not remember the last time she had been warm with how wet and cold her body was. But it all meant nothing to her as she tuned out her body's complaints about the weather and the situation. Gritting her teeth Rin sat up again then looked around her little semi-dray clearing. A fire would be nice.

However she didn't want to attract attention to herself so she would settle for rotating clothes again. She had been switching her clothes around for the past few days so she could at least be semi-dry when she found shelter. Yanking a comb through her entangled midnight locks Rin braided her hair again and then changed her clothes quickly. Tucking her toes beneath the hem of her kimono she worked on semi-drying out her other clothes.

This sucked! She'd never take Jaken's staff of two heads for granted again. She just sighed as she wrapped herself up again and pulled out a soggy bit of dried meat for a snack. A gift from Izayoi. She would be alright, Rin assured herself for the umpteenth time. She could handle a dragon, and she would get out of this in one piece. Hopefully, she was hoping to get out of this mess in one piece. She didn't want to lose a limb, but she didn't think she'd get out of this unscathed. After all, she was talking about dragons, and next to her lord, dragons' were the most volatile of yōkai. And she hadn't needed history to figure that one out.

She had met a few of the Dragon Tribe members when she was shadowing InuKimi. Needless to say they were a violent lot, who enjoyed bloodshed and had an excessive bloodlust. If she had not belonged to Sesshomaru then she'd have been shredded to bits long ago. Belonging to Sesshomaru and being within the protection of InuKimi was more terrifying to other yōkai though so she had been respected on that basis. Still, Rin was going to Ryūkotsusei alone. She would have no protection, Rin inhaled sharply.

She could do this.

She was Sesshomaru-sama's Rin and she was no weak, little coward.

Besides, how bad could Ryūkotsusei really be if Inuyasha killed him?

* * *

Sesshomaru was shocked to find that his father was not in Setsuna or near it, at least not that Sesshomaru's nose could sense. And though it had been raining mercilessly he could still scent certain scents. Which was why he was following his father's powerful scent towards the forge's valley. What was going through InuTaisho's head? Why would he need to go to Tōtōsai? This did not make sense to Sesshomaru but he was following his nose all the same.

It was most irritating to be chasing his father down so his father would continue fighting his own war.

Still this was perplexing to Sesshomaru as he walked through the forest. The icy rain slid over his skin, through his hair, beneath his armor and through the heavy pelt of his mokomoko. His claws twitched slightly in irritation as the rain dripped off of them, he was going to rip his father apart for this. He had many better things to be doing with his time, he didn't care about this bloody war! He just wanted to help Rin out with her quest, and hopefully she wouldn't be hurt in the process. He stopped.

His nose picked it up, that light, faint, uniquely Rin scent which had him looking over to the ridge.

It wasn't possible, he had safely tucked her away in Setsuna with his father's human. Why was her scent here? He looked in the direction of Tōtōsai's forage then back in the direction Rin's scent was going. Which one should he follow?

Sesshomaru feet started after Rin's scent then he stiffened, he had to retrieve InuTaisho before the war council went nuts. Reluctantly he resumed his hunt for his father. He looked back towards where Rin was going. His heart twisted, he'd get his father then he'd go retrieve Rin before she could really cross paths with Ryūkotsusei. Ryūkotsusei would rip her apart and he couldn't have that, he was terrified of that. Enveloping himself in light as he streaked forward to grab InuTaisho then he'd come back for Rin.

* * *

InuTaisho stood there in forge as he handed Tōtōsai his final will and instructions.

"Are you certain Master?" Tōtōsai asked him.

"Yes, do not deter from these instructions for any reason," InuTaisho said firmly.

"But why not bequeath the Tetsuseiga to Sesshomaru, he is your heir, why give him the Tenseiga?" Tōtōsai demanded.

"For the same reason he does not need it. I'm certain you've already met Bakusaiga, Rin would be a fool to trust another smith," InuTaisho mused.

"Yes I have, but what does that the little walking ghost's fang have to do with this?" Tōtōsai asked.

"Surely you've noticed it's aura, even I noticed it," InuTaisho mused. The old smith just stiffen then gasped and InuTaisho smirked. "Sesshomaru will never need the Tetsuseiga, he'll obtain the Bakusaiga, however he'll need the Tenseiga. I do not care about what my sons want, I'm focused on what they will need; Tōtōsai. I'm entrusting this task to you, Myoga and Saya with these tasks. Follow them to the letter, and do not falter. This is you mission for when I'm gone."

"Yes master," Tōtōsai sighed wearily and sadly. InuTaisho handed him the scroll then. And his nose twitched at that approaching scent. Sighing he turned as a ball of light materialized and his young son stood there with hard amber eyes and an indifferent expression. But it was in the little minute expressions of his that InuTaisho knew he was annoyed.

* * *

**So cold, my fingers are numb and it's not from typing, and my teeth have yet to stop chattering, COLD! I'm getting a heater now, I'll have two more chapters tonight, but my fingers are so cold! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =) ㈃9**


	148. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 29

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Foresight:** _Action in Reference to the Future; provident care, prudence, wise forethought…_

* * *

**Chapter 29**

"What is it Sesshomaru?" his father turned to look at him with guarded eyes. Sesshomaru's own eyes narrowed as he glared at his father and the smith. Something had transpired here and he didn't know what it was but he'd put it at the bottom of his worries list. Which was pretty short, after Rin it was really short. His worries for Rin…well those were private and extensive because she was a fragile human; all it would take was one wrong move from him when he touched her and he could kill her accidently. But that was a matter he'd keep to himself because it wasn't their business.

"They demand your presence for your war at the frontlines," he said indifferently as he tried not to worry about Rin and what she could be up to. Kami did that human make him unreasonably soft and worried. But that was only where Rin was concerned, everyone else could go to the netherworld for all he cared.

"Then let's be off, Sesshomaru," InuTaisho said. Sesshomaru frowned but he wasn't going to mention his worries about Rin as he followed his father. Rin was still his only concern but he couldn't let his father know about his worries. InuTaisho, though at this moment was friends with his mate; was not someone he would entrust Rin's wellbeing or safety to. He'd come after Rin when he had a spare moment and he wasn't under the watchful eye of his father and the council. If the war council knew about Rin then there'd be problems for him, and he'd more than likely be sentenced to death for marking a human; whom he did not remember claiming but did not regret claiming.

The traditional members of his clans would be the first he challenged when he became Inu no Taisho, then he'd be free to claim Rin which was all he really wanted to do. But for now, he'd play along with them and let them all think he was not mated. Besides, Rin wasn't around most of the time for them to notice so he did not think anyone besides his father knew about the bond between himself and Rin. His eyes wandered over to dragon territory.

"Is something the matter Sesshomaru?" his eyes flicked to his father who was watching him intently.

"Hn," he answered as he brushed past his father to run for the frontlines. It was known to him that it irked his father when he traveled with light but he liked it more than running everywhere.

"That is not an answer Sesshomaru!" his father shouted. He didn't even react to that; though he heard Rin's words ringing through then. How was it only she could read him and he spent most of his time with the inuyōkai clan, his father or his mother? Rin was not around for long periods of time for him. Still, he ignored his father as he leapt through the forest and continued sprinting towards the inuyōkai clan's camp.

* * *

Rin woke in the morning and crawled out of her shelter, it was the first day since she had returned to this time that it was not cloudy, rainy, or miserable. Though it was wet, there was frost on the grasses and she could see her breath now. Was it already autumn? Rin didn't know as she grabbed Bakusaiga and her small pack before standing in the brisk morning to be warmed by the bitter light of the rising sun. Her head fell back at the faint warmth the sun's rays gave her then her head snapped up as she examined her lit up boundaries.

"Alright, let's go," Rin muttered to Bakusaiga on her hip. The world was a brisk cold around her but she didn't care as she walked forward. Now to find Ryūkotsusei, it shouldn't that difficult. She remembered what they had told her about Ryūkotsusei and she didn't think he'd be all that difficult to find. If he really was the size of the mountain, it wouldn't be difficult to find him. Not many dragons liked hanging around in their true forms, it was too noticeable. However, she knew Ryūkotsusei to be the exception. And if she could always find Sesshomaru; even when he did not want her to find him so finding a dragon shouldn't be all that difficult.

Walking towards the valley she figured she'd find what she was seeking. Hopefully before the rain returned. She didn't think she could get any wetter than these past few days of traveling had gotten her. Not even that time she had fallen through the bridge trying to evade that weird cross-dressing hermaphrodite (again Kagome had taught her that word and she had no idea what it really meant but that's what they had called that cross-dresser), and the weird wolverine guy with two personalities. She had been wet for a week after that fiasco, or at least it had felt that way because of the following rain. Not that it mattered.

* * *

Izayoi was preparing for the day, it was a simple matter. But she stopped to stare at her growing bump, her baby, she smiled softly. Hers'. All hers' and she was thrilled about being pregnant and she was so excited for her baby to come into this world.

InuTaisho was going to be such a wonderful father, she had no doubt. He would be attentive, and he would teach her pup right from wrong, and he would be a wonderful father. She looked forward to their life together after this war. She was certain her love would win, he was just so strong and powerful, there was nothing which could kill InuTaisho.

"My lady," she looked to the door.

"Yes?" Izayoi called out.

"Takemaru, he wishes to wed you within a month. He'll be home by the end of the month for the wedding," the maid called out.

"I hear you," Izayoi called out nervously as she looked to the growing bump of her baby. Oh kami, Takemaru wasn't supposed to return yet!

* * *

**One more for tonight!  
**

**Still a human ice-cube, but I have a heater!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	149. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 30

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Foresight:** _Action in Reference to the Future; provident care, prudence, wise forethought…_

* * *

**Chapter 30**

It took her three days, but she found herself here at the edge of a cliff now and she was staring into the abys where the dragon lived. He was coiled tightly in the abys and her heart was pounding in her ribs as she stood there staring at him, he was so much larger than she thought he would be. He was so much larger than she had thought he would be.

"Ryūkotsusei!" Rin shouted into the valley. There was some shifting of the coils, so this really was Ryūkotsusei, Rin just steeled her nerves as she stood there. The wind whipped her hair around and she inhaled sharply again. She had come this far, she would not be a run now. "Ryūkotsusei of the dragons, I demand to talk to you!"

"Demand?" a voice shook the earth she stood on with amusement. Her heart slammed mercilessly in her ribs as she stood her ground.

"Yes demand," Rin shouted back into chasm below her. The voice chuckled as the masses of coils moved, Rin fought to keep her balance so she didn't go toppling over the cliff. Those sick masses of grey coils shifted as he raised himself up. Rin's breath hitched, the dragon towered over her so she felt like a true insect in life. Her heart sped with pain and fear as she looked up into those bloody red eyes, and the Noh mask staring menacingly at her.

"You are the first and last mortal I have ever met to demand anything of me. I will have your name before I kill you."

"I am my lord's Rin," she called out. "And I did not come here to die but I came here to negotiate with you."

"Petty human," the dragon rumbled. "But I commend your bravery, now die you pest."

The dragon opened it's mouth, her fingers closed around Bakusaiga, then and she stared at the gathering electricity in his mouth. She hoped to Kami that this worked, in theory she was told it would but she had never had to actually test this theory. There was a flying of light at her. She drew Bakusaiga and slammed it into the earth she stood. The energy slammed into her, she felt everything around swirling in chaos but nothing hit her, she looked past her wild black hair and then looked up to dragon as the energy disappated.

"Puny human," Ryūkotsusei grumbled in irritation.

"May we talk now or must this really resort to violence?" Rin asked as she slashed through the remaining spoke and sheathed Bakusaiga. Ryūkotsusei did a double take of her and she tilted her head to the side thoughtfully as she looked the mighty dragon over.

"H-how did you, a human survive!?" the dragon lowered his gaze to look at her. Rin pulled Bakusaiga then and held it level for him to see.

"As I said, I am my lord's Rin, my lord is a daiyōkai," she elaborated for him. The dragon just stared at the white sheath of Bakusaiga and then looked at her. Rin didn't flinch, she kept telling herself that Bakusaiga would protect her again as it just had, it could give her a barrier, it wouldn't let anything harm her. She would trust in her lord's fang. Just as she would always trust Sesshomaru. Her heart was still slamming mercilessly in her ribs with the fear of meeting this legend but she held her ground. He was merely a dragon who was a daiyōkai, she reminded herself continuously.

"And just why is it a human like you can wield a daiyōkai's fang?" Ryūkotsusei inquired. Rin slid Bakusaiga into her sash then as she looked into the eyes of the dragon.

"Because I am my lord's equal, I have come with a request Ryūkotsusei-sama," she said confidently and bowed her head slightly in respect.

"And what could you possibly desire human?" Ryūkotsusei asked, again he sounded amused and Rin forced a smile to curve her lips pleasantly. Her heart still would settle and she had a bad feeling about this in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like any of this but she didn't care as she stood there looking up to the mightiest dragon to have ever lived. It was clear to her now that it was true; Inuyasha had only defeated this daiyōkai because he had just awakened from a two hundred and fifty plus year slumber, even InuTaisho's power seemed weak compared to the mass of power this dragon was emanating. Perhaps, perhaps Sesshomaru just might be of equal power in her time but that was in her time. In this time this Sesshomaru was not near this level of power though he was quickly coming to surpass his father's level of power.

"I humbly ask you for a bit of your blood," Rin replied. The dragon's head flew back as he let out a deafening laugh. Rin covered her ears and winced as the world beneath her feet shook viciously. Why couldn't Ryūkotsusei be like every other daiyōkai and prefer his humanoid form!? Rin thought sharply as she glared at the beast. The dragon's laughter subsided finally and his snout was level with her. Rin took an instinctive step away from the beast's mouth remembering the last time she had stood near a daiyōkai's true form's jaws, Suzu had nearly killed her.

"And why would you need my blood?" Ryūkotsusei purred.

"Because I am on a mission to save my lord, at all costs, and it demands that I have a bit of dragon's blood. You are the most powerful dragon to rule your tribe and I was hoping to obtain a bit of it," Rin admitted.

"Flattery will get you no where with me my dear, but I must admit I can see why a daiyōkai lord would wish to keep a human such as yourself around. You are most amusing, for an insect."

"So I've been told."

"And are you, a mere weakling human female, truly willing to pay any cost to obtain my blood?" Ryūkotsusei asked her. Rin pulled Bakusiaga then, she let a cold smile grace her lips despite her fear.

"I'll either have you give it to me willingly or I'll try to take it from you by force, but either way I will obtain your blood or die trying. I'm not scared of dying a third time," Rin said coldly. It was all a lie but she didn't care.

"Then, daiyōkai lord's Rin and equal, I welcome you to come and try to get it!" Ryūkotsusei snarled as he snapped his jaws at her. She dove to the side then.

* * *

**That's all for tonight folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! I'll enjoy having an electric blanket! =)**


	150. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 31

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Defiance:** _The Act of Defying, Putting in Opposition or Provoking to Combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 31**

Leaping to her feet she felt herself falling into the abys again. There was no scream from her though as she slammed Bakusaiga into the rocks and slid to a ledge for a stop. Glaring up she noted that Ryūkotsusei looked amused. If he wanted a fight, then fine, she could give him one hell of a fight or die trying. She would not fail Sesshomaru! She was not going to let Magatsuhi kill him.

"You're fast girl, I'm amused," Ryūkotsusei chortled and Rin ignored him. His coils were near enough for her to leap onto. Gathering her minimal courage at this moment she pulled Bakusaiga from the rocks as she leapt, her heart fell as she looked below her. Her bare feet slammed her into the coils of this dragon. The scaley coils moved, her body trembled as she then slammed Bakusaiga into the impenetrable scales.

It was worth a shot! Her mind decided as Ryūkotsusei shifted so she would fall into the abys to be smashed; no doubt she'd be like a squashed bug if that happened. Well this dragon was going to be disappointed, she was no ordinary bug! Gathering her strength and honing years of training Rin looked to where Bakusaiga had penetrated the scales. The red life liquid pulsed around the wound and Rin smiled as she pulled the blade from the dragon.

"How did you…!? My scales are impenetrable you impertinent wench! What did you do!?" Ryūkotsusei snapped as he pulled that coil near to him. Rin just took a deep breath as she yanked her lord's fang from this grey body.

"My lord's fang is the most powerful weapon ever forged, be happy I cannot use all of it's abilities!" Rin shouted then she ran towards the Noh mask with Baksaiga pulsing to life in her hands.

"You will die human!" the dragon roared, she leapt up out of the way of those gnashing teeth but was slammed into the cliffs by a clawed hand. She didn't scream or gasp.

"I will destroy you human," Ryūkotsusei snarled and she saw the killer in those red eyes, she had seen that killer in her lord's eyes before too. Rin just smiled a cold smile, she already had what she wanted so no she just needed to escape.

* * *

Finally there wasn't a pressing matter for him to attend to so he was here where he had scented Rin. For a human she sure did get around a lot and quickly. Sesshomaru wasn't certain if that was a good thing as he enveloped himself in light to fly after that scent. It was fading quickly and he couldn't lose her. He just couldn't.

There was a roar which had him lunging into his true form to race to the chasm. What he saw had his internal beast growling and snapping his venomous jaws. Rin's bleeding body was laying limply on a ledge with a bloodied fang in her fingers. Ryūkotsusei turned when he snarled. The dragon looked surprise but Sesshomaru lunged for his throat. The energy shot at him from Ryūkotsusei's mouth had him enveloping himself in light to leap out of the way. He materialized in the air above Ryūkotsusei snarling.

"Why am I not surprised? An inuyōkai must have claimed this human. And it appears that like father, like son, corrected…Sesshomaru?" Ryūkotsusei asked menacingly. Sesshomaru just remained indifferent as he thought this through quickly. He couldn't kill Ryūkotsusei he was not strong enough to do that feat yet, but he could save Rin. That was his only goal.

"Hand Rin over and I will not maim you," Sesshomaru stated matter-of-factly as he watched the Noh mask think this over. The entire time Sesshomaru's ears were tuned to Rin's body. Her heart was beating slowly and it was faint but it was steady, her breathing was shallow, and he felt the cold stealing away her blood and heat. He had to get to her and get her somewhere safe as quickly as he could before Ryūkotsusei could kill her. Narrowing his eyes he looked to the dragon, there was blood dripping from his body. If Sesshomaru could poison his blood then he would weaken Ryūkotsusei enough to grab Rin, her fang, and run.

That was his plan.

"Are you this Rin's lord? Pathetic," Ryūkotsusei snarled. The dragon opened his mouth, energy began gathering there. But at least his attention was on him rather than Rin, Sesshomaru thought with some relief. The cackling energy came barreling towards him, Sesshomaru enveloped himself in light again as he plummeted towards the ground, he materialized in his humanoid form as he flew for the blood he saw on a rapidly closing wound. He would only have one shot to do this and grab Rin.

The venomous poison of his claws dripped as he zipped around the massive moving coils. Drawing his claws back he followed the scent of blood, Ryūkotsusei roared and energy slammed into the earth around him. Sesshomaru never faltered as he sliced the wound; the mighty dragon screamed in an agony few would ever experience. Again the bullets of energy slammed for him, Sesshomaru again enveloped himself in light as he rocketed upwards, he snatched up Rin and her bloodied fang then and raced towards the forge. It was closest and Tōtōsai might know how to help Rin again.

Sesshomaru never stopped running even as he heard the screams, roars and blast of the shaking earth from Ryūkotsusei.

"Sesshomaru-sama," he heard Rin breathe. "Don't die," she whispered.

"Hold on Rin, hang in there," he ordered as he blasted forth towards the forge.

"Sorry, my lord," Rin murmured.

"Rin! Rin! Come on Rin, open your eyes! Rin!" he shouted to her as he ran, he didn't dare to stop as he raced for the forge. She groaned a bit when he tightened his hold on her but he didn't care. She wasn't dead yet and that was all that he was thinking about as he raced for the forge in hopes of help and answers. He didn't know much of anything about humans, he had never studied them but Rin was so fragile he was terrified that she was going to die on him. His hands felt warm and slick, his nose was on fire with the scent of her sweet blood pouring out of her gaping wounds and he remembered when he had been a pup.

But Ryūkotsusei had done so much more damage to her than Toran ever could, and that was what had his heart twisting in fear and agony as he ran forward.

* * *

**Good Morning Everyone! Still a human ice-cube here but that's irrelevant seeing as how I am writing, I just can't feel my fingers...  
**

**Anyways, lots of chapters today! Try to keep up if you can!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	151. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 32

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Defiance:** _The Act of Defying, Putting in Opposition or Provoking to Combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 32**

Tōtōsai's forge was open and warm when he blasted into it. Rin's fingers went limp then because he heard Bakusaiga clatter to the ground, his heart stopped as he looked around for the smith.

"Tōtōsai! Get out here now!" Sesshomaru demanded as he took Rin nearer to the warmth of the fire. Gingerly he moved her to lay her out near the fire. Rin's eyes were closed, his heart was sinking as he looked her over. The old smith hobbled over then.

"Kami! What did this girl do this time!?" Tōtōsai demanded. Sesshomaru didn't answer that as he pulled aside her kimono, there was so much blood. He hadn't known a little human could hold so much blood.

"Sesshomaru, did you do this!?" Tōtōsai demanded. His eyes bled red as he whirled around to snarl. How dare this old fool think he do this to Rin! He would never lay a finger on her, he refused to hurt her, he couldn't hurt her. But this old fool was someone he could rip apart, limb by limb if he even dared to think he did this. Sesshomaru promptly turned back to Rin when the elder tumbled back and began his examination of her. Her arm was at an odd angle, but just as he thought that he heard the bone in her arm move, he heard it snap back into place, Rin hissed, he listened as her ribs and vertebra did the same and her bleeding slowed as her heart rate remained slow and steady.

"So this is the power of the living ghost," Tōtōsai murmured ti himself and Sesshomaru scowled. That didn't make any sense. Rin gasped, her eyes never opened but her breathing seemed to steady and deepened as she lay there. He just heaved a sigh in partial relief. So it seemed her internal injuries were healing on their own, but as he stared at the horrible slow healing slashes on her body he turned his glare to the old smith.

"Rin said she needed dragon's blood, why? Why would Rin, a human, think she should attack Ryūkotsusei of all the dragons!?" he hissed, his temper had him cracking his knuckles as a warning to the old smith not to toy with him. Rin may be healing and her body had for whatever reason healed the critical damage but it did not change the fact that Tōtōsai knew something about why Rin was doing what she was doing.

"She needed dragon's blood," Tōtōsai muttered and Sesshomaru frowned then he turned to Rin and yanked her pendant off.

"For this?" Sesshomaru demanded shoving it into the face of the smith.

"Y-y-yes," Tōtōsai stuttered. Sesshomaru snarled at it then he stalked over to where Bakusaiga was laying and picked up the bloodied sword.

"Then do what she wants you to do or die, but if she died for that I'll kill you for sending her to her death," Sesshomaru snarled. He then turned back and sat over Rin so she didn't wake alone. Carefully he removed his armor and the top layer of his clothing. Peeling Rin out of bloodied clothes he carefully wrapped her up in the silk then and examined the slowly closing wounds. They weren't too deep, at least he didn't think they were as he carefully moved her body into the silk. Rin groaned a bit, he looked to her blackening face, the bruises were horrendous, it had him worried. Again his amber eyes narrowed over his shoulder to Tōtōsai who was carefully doing his work.

"I'll be back for that pendant in a week, and Bakusaiga, if whatever you intend to do with them is not finished I will rip you apart," Sesshomaru said now that he was a bit calmer and his internal beast wasn't so eager to rip Tōtōsai and Ryūkotsusei. The elder paled but Sesshomaru lifted Rin's bloodied body up against his chest then enveloped them both in light as he sprinted off to find a safe place to hide the barely living human away in. he couldn't take her into inuyōkai territory, and he could not return her to Setsuna in this condition.

He knew where he would hide her. And even if Rin did not like it that was irrelevant because he would keep her chained there until she was all healed again. Her mission for her lord be damned! She was not moving if he was having it his way, she would not leave until he was satisfied she was healed again.

"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered.

"Rin," he said coldly. Her head turned against his chest, his arms tightened around her as he landed. The loosen sand was something he sunk in. the cold air slammed into him but all the salt of the sea would hide her scent. He looked at the cliffs, he felt Rin stiffen in his arms as she turned into his chest for warmth. The cold whipped around them both, her long black hair danced with his silver hair as he walked towards the cliffs. Her blood was staining his white silk but he did not care, he would steal her a warmer set of clothes, and he would find her bandages but until then he'd just have to make certain she was alright and warm.

He found the shelter he was seeking, it was a small cave sheltered from the wind and he carefully settled Rin near the cave wall. This would be safe enough, his claws slid over her cheek, her head turned into his touch and he withdrew his touch as he retreated. He knew she'd need a fire, and he knew she'd need warmer supplies. Standing atop the cliffs he scented the air, there was a human village near here, he saw the boats and he flew towards them to get what he needed.

* * *

After utilizing every drop of the dragon's blood from Bakusaiga's blade he felt like he was milking a venomous creature for it's toxins. He sheathed the dangerous fang away in it's scabbard. He didn't notice the pulse.

* * *

**Jeez! I'm freezing! And my heater broke ㈸1! The electric blanket had better not break...  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	152. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 33

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Defiance:** _The Act of Defying, Putting in Opposition or Provoking to Combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 33**

Her head was killing her! Rin thought as she moaned and slowly opened her eyes to…

Blackness.

Sesshomaru!

Her heart leapt at the thought as she looked around where she was. It was a cave, Sesshomaru must've saved her. That was a wonderful conclusion but it wasn't the only possibility as another groan of pain slipped her lips.

"Do not move," that commanding tone had her worries of having been abducted dissipating as she felt his indifferent presence settle beside her. Before she could ask him anything a fire was lit and the warmth was intoxicating as she watched the dangerous orange come to life. Her eyes flicked to Sesshomaru, his amber eyes which always had a feral and dangerous tint in them now just looked like the eyes of a monster. A beautiful monster but a true monster all the same. And Kami was the sight mesmerizing and enticing and entrancing. Her lord's eyes always looked the prettiest in the fire, but they also looked the most dangerous.

"Rin," his claws slid over her cheek, she just turned into the touch because it felt good. It also felt natural for her to turn into his touch.

"Sess…" she breathed. Her body was aching and pulsing with pain as she lay there. Before she knew it she was covered in a heavy pelt, Rin nuzzled the mokomoko as her eyes drooped and then she agin surrendered to oblivion.

With certain wounds, like broken bones, she had learned her body would mend itself. She had learned this after a particularly nasty yōkai attacked her when she had been thirteen. Her arm and leg had been broken and Kagome had thought several of her ribs to be broken. She was sentenced to death with a broken lung. However, she remembered the pain of her bones not breaking; but resetting themselves. She had screamed when her ribs had snapped back into place, she hadn't even tried to set her arm or leg when they snapped back into place on their own. After that though her healing was a long and painful process.

It had shocked everyone, herself included when she was able to get up and walk around within a week. But her flesh wounds did not fade that readily. Those mended over time and though quick by human standards of healing was still slow.

She felt herself smile. She'd be alright, she could breath and her lord was here with her wrapped up in his mokomoko. She would be fine, of this she had no doubt.

* * *

Sesshomaru could literally feel himself calming after she had opened her eyes. Until she had opened them his heart had been twisted so painfully that even breathing hurt him. Now he was sitting there with her securely wrapped up in his mokomoko because he hadn't trusted the humans to have adequate ways of keeping an injured woman warm. Also, the fishermen had returned so he had just grabbed Rin clothes and ran. He hated the thievery but he didn't care in the long run. So long as Rin was safe and healing.

When had he gotten so weak? He wondered as he sat there musing her midnight hair. When had one thing become his everything? He didn't know, he didn't particularly like it but at the same time he did not mind it because Rin was his. She was his responsibility and his to protect. Rin had never and would never turn him away, shun him, or fear him. It was funny to him how members of his own pack revered him to the point of fear but this human, the one human who seemed to love him and worship the ground which he stood upon, did not fear him. In fact he did not think Rin had a drop of fear in her system.

Sesshomaru contemplating installing a good dose of fear into her so she wouldn't be so reckless but he refrained because she had already been through quite an ordeal.

Still…

He was very tempted to wring her neck for the worry he had just endured. He hoped to never see Rin helpless and about to be killed by a yōkai again. He never wanted to see anyone hurting her ever again, he didn't care who was threatening her, if she were ever again threatened then he'd obliterate the world. He didn't care about the consquences.

Never again did he want to see anyone about to or hurting Rin, she was his to protect and so he would. He'd protect her at all costs with every fiber of his being, he would never fail Rin again. Surely she'd come to understand that. Hopefully, she'd also notice he was more reliable than her lord; whomever he was; and that he was not going to let her down. Gingerly he moved mokomoko so Rin was settled in his arms, he pressed his lips to her temple then just held her as he waited for her to wake up again.

And she would wake up again.

Even if he had to go to the Netherworld to retrieve her spirit she would wake again. He would never lose her, and he wouldn't let her slip through his fingers for anything. Nothing was more important than Rin. And he would never forget that.

* * *

InuTaisho stood there looking down at the battle field when finally Kujaku and Saiten returned to him.

"And?"

"Nothing the humans are regrouping. Also, Ryūkotsusei roared," Kujaku said firmly. Her mate grunted as he stood there glaring at the battle field.

"Ryūkotsusei?" InuTaisho inquired blandly.

"Yes," Saiten replied.

"Ignore him, I will deal with him should he again become a threat to us and what we are doing. When we are finished Ryūkotsusei will either be with us or annihilated for being against us," InuTaisho said bluntly. He hated that dragon so he was hoping for the latter, and from Rin had said it was not he who killed Ryūkotsusei but rather his and Izayoi's son Inuyasha. The growing pup would have mighty expectations to live up to but with how Rin spoke of Inuyasha he had no doubt that the hanyō would pull through.

* * *

**The electric blanket is working!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	153. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 34

**A Return to Tomorrow...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Defiance:** _The Act of Defying, Putting in Opposition or Provoking to Combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 34**

Ryūkotsusei writhed in the pain which was seeping through his very soul and being. How was this possible!? He would scream in his woes, the fiery pain which coursed through his system making it feel as if he were being eaten from the inside out. His dragon's lips curled back as again the pain coursed through his body. It made him writhe and wither agony. Snarling he gnashed his jaws as he carefully pulled himself up and glared over the ridge.

There was only one daiyōkai in the world who was venomous and he was a dead inuyōkai. So just how come it felt as if he were being ripped apart, melted, and on fire while freezing? Roaring again as another spasm over took him crashed into his chasm.

He was going to kill that inuyōkai! Right after he demanded InuTaisho to hand him over.

* * *

Izayoi just listened to the pained screams of something dying and felt it to be an omen. Whatever was screaming sent a spine freezing chill down her back and had her protectively covering her swollen belly as she stared out to the mountains. The cries shook their earth and clearly agitated all the animals around as they all took to the skies to flee.

"Lady Izayoi! Did you hear that!?" she looked over her shoulder to her current handmaid.

"Yes, and it's terrifying," the young woman said. "I bet that it's a daiyōkai that our master has finally slain! I hope it's that inuyōkai, the big white one who roars."

"Why?"

"He's a monster! He slaughter my village, my lady, I hate all yōkai and I hope they all perish." Those words stung a deep part of her heart but she didn't take the woman's words personally. There were many who would prefer if the yōkai ceased to exist. She was no one of them, she decided as her fingers slid lovingly over her bump. Her baby was half yōkai, half inu daiyōkai to be precise and she would never wish the demise of the yōkai or the humans. She did not wish any malice towards anyone but still, it hurt her to hear the words she knew so many thought.

"I don't think he's a monster, perhaps we are the monsters," Izayoi murmured as she looked to the clouding skies. The rain and snow was coming early this year. She just sighed as a cool wind kissed her cheek and felt the curious gaze of the maid.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because, for as long as I can remember I have only ever heard of humans killing one another for sport. A dear friend of mine lost her entire family to a band of human bandits and was shunned by her village of humans for being mute and an orphan. However, she says a yōkai lord showed her kindness and took her in, so perhaps, humans are the real monsters and we just don't know it," Izayoi explained. The girl looked thoughtful as Izayoi walked away.

She did not doubt that yōkai could be monsters, InuTaisho was certainly no perfect deity she'd worship. However, for humans to think themselves better for whatever reason was wrong, they were just as evil as the yōkai in their own ways. Sighing Izayoi looked to her swelling belly which was hidden beneath her layers.

"You and your father are not monsters, you are both blessings," Izayoi assured her baby only to receive a solid kick to her bladder.

* * *

Rin lay there very still in her lord's arms.

She didn't dare to move, aside from the fact that it hurt, this was a rare moment for Sesshomaru and he was actually sleeping. Rin knew this because his deep even breathing and the way his breath tickled her skin. She did not desire to deprive him of his sleep but she really wanted to stretch her aching body. But she was also really comfortable right where she was and the long this Sesshomaru slept the longer she could evade this Sesshomaru's wrath. So she would remain perfectly still, she wouldn't move a muscel.

"Cease you thinking Rin," he growled out and she frowned.

How'd he know she was thinking!? He promptly bit over the mark.

"Ow! Aren't I damaged enough!?" Rin demanded scowling over her shoulder at this younger version of her indifferent lord. He was still Sesshomaru, the Sesshomaru she loved and cared for more than her own life.

"That was your own doing, impatience is not a virtue Rin," he said coldly. She rolled her eyes. He wasn't one to talk, everything he wanted always had to be right then; and don't think this had slipped past the notice of her child's mind.

"You're not one to talk of patience Sesshomaru," she quipped before slamming her mouth shut. She couldn't believe she had just said that!? And to her lord of all creatures! It was one thing for her to snipe back with Shippo or Kohaku but she never back talked her lord! Well… that wasn't entirely true but that didn't matter, she tried not to snipe back at him.

"Rin," he growled. She dared to peek over her shoulder, he looked most amused but his features were still maddeningly indifferent. It was his eyes which were alit with the amusement though, so she knew he wasn't crossed about her sniping back with him. However she could sense that he was still furious with her, and scared, and calming. Rin just smiled nervously at him.

"Sorry, I couldn't wait! I had to get his blood! It was important and I apparently couldn't even do that right without your help! I'm sorry, I'll never disobey you again!" she promised sincerely.

"Good, and Ryūkotsusei would've killed you, you are lucky to be alive," Sesshomaru murmured as he brushed her hair aside.

"I know, I'm sorry for the burden," Rin replied remorsefully. She was truly sorry for this but at the same time she wasn't. After all she was not here to appease her lord; no matter what his age was, she was here to save him from Magatsuhi. She hadn't forgotten that and lately she had nightmares about that black mark on his heart consuming him so he disappeared leaving her all alone. It was terrifying. Then there was the matter of the approaching lunar eclipse.

"Don't say such foolish things," Sesshomaru said firmly. "Rest Rin," he ordered sharply and she sighed. Stretching tentatively she surrendered to the exhaustion which hadn't left her upon waking. She would be sleepy like this for a little while. Rin was not thrilled about this, but sleeping was the body's way of resting and healing.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	154. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 35

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not On Inuyasha **

* * *

**Defiance:** _The Act of Defying, Putting in Opposition or Provoking to Combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 35**

Taking it slow, not something Sesshomaru appeared to ever do, Rin noted again. From what she figured she had been in this cave for a week and though she was healing rapidly and nicely Sesshomaru was again starting to get on her nerves. He was pacing around the cave he had picked near the sea and it was starting to get on her nerves. There had to be some reason to get him out of her hair for a little bit so she could rest in peace. But so far her mind was blank on that matter, until today as she carefully moved about the cave looking for two missing items of hers.

"Sesshomaru?" she called out giving up her search to just ask him where they were.

"Hn?" he acknowledged, his mokomoko swishing about the loose sand of the cave.

"Where's my fang and Bakusaiga?" Rin asked. She wanted them back, she had to talk to Tōtōsai about merging the dragon's blood with the fang.

"With Tōtōsai since you demanded the dragon's blood and he seemed to know what he was going to be doing with it and Bakusaiga," Sesshomaru said indifferently. Rin just felt relief well up within her as she stood there leaning on the wall. So they weren't lost, all of her work wasn't wasted, it was as if an entire world had been lifted off of her shoulders at those words of his.

"Alright, can I have them back?" Rin asked softly.

"Hn," he replied and then he enveloped himself in light and he was gone. Rin hobbled to the entrance of the cave, the cold rain and the wind of the sea hit her at full force. She gasped with delight as her head fell back and the wind slashed through her hair while the rain slid over her battered body.

This felt wonderful, she mused as she stood there and she carefully bit her lip as she made her way out of the cave to see where she was. All she could figure was up the north; at least that was her guess as she turned her back to the wind and rain.

Looking over her shoulder she looked to the ocean and then she walked back into the cave. Sesshomaru would not be happy that she had been out of the cave and in the rain but she just wanted to know where she was. Peeling out of her wet clothes she fanned the fire a bit then pulled on some dry silks of Sesshomaru's they smelled of him. She smiled a bit to herself as she relaxed again against the cave wall. Tugging her long hair around she noticed how long her hair was growing and sighed. Normally she cut it a bit again but this time it seemed pointless. And it was about to the small of her back right now, and she could slice it off to her normal length, just past her shoulders.

* * *

InuTaisho saw that Sesshomaru was missing but there was no way he could bring that up. He had a feeling that the roaring of Ryūkotsusei was in some way related to his son. Sesshomaru was a true master of inflicting maximum pain on a creature, whether that was his poison, venom, claws, or sheer presence. Sesshomaru was a force who would one day be something no one wanted to tangle with. Not that yōkai were exactly lining up to fight him or follow him.

"Master, what do you think of Ryūkotsusei roaring?" he looked over his shoulder at one of inuyōkai guards; Chieko; an inu daiyōkai around Sesshomaru's age. Not a complete daiyōkai, but he was more than a yōkai.

"Probably met something with more bite than bark," InuTaisho admitted with a smirk. If his son was the one to inflict this pain on Ryūkotsusei then he was most proud of Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru's powers. Not that his son wasn't an impressive specimen of the inuyōkai but he had had doubts about Rin's statement of Sesshomaru being 'all powerful and Mightiest of the Inu no Taisho to be sired'. If that was true then the boy had a lot of growing to do.

"You don't think Sesshomaru would…?" Fumio appeared and trailed off.

"Perhaps, it's his time off, so long as there's no impending war we'll be fine," InuTaisho decided then he walked past those two guard members to walk towards his trusted spies.

"The humans are retreating Master, they appear to be migrating towards Setsuna again," Kujaku said softly.

"Alright, I will scout a head and make certain they are retreating. You and Saiten go check on the weeping Ryūkotsusei and make certain he's in true pain and this is not another woe to obtain a war. Again." InuTaisho iterated again clearly to remind this female what happened last time when had started a war by calling Ryūkotsusei weak while he was standing there. InuTaisho did not have the energy for that fight at this moment and whatever conflict to come he was certain would be more important than just some petty spat about strength.

"Yes Master, I will not be seen," Kujaku said softly as she bowed then left him alone. InuTaisho then raced towards Setsuna, towards Inuyasha and Izayoi. Home sounded like a good place to head, especially since there were only two cycles left before the lunar eclipse, Myoga had check on that for him and confirmed it. So he wanted to spend the next two cycles with Izayoi and Inuyasha before he was ripped away from them.

The life after he was deceased would not be easy, but he felt that if he left it loving rather than hating it would make Izayoi's world a little brighter. He wasn't like InuKimi and Sesshomaru, he could not stand by indifferently when he could leave this world with a good impression. He did not wish to be remembered as a hater of humans, because after meeting Rin and Izayoi he could not hate humans. He could only look down on them as amusing fools trying to live full lives; which was something he could respect. He could respect it because he had lived a long and full life, three thousand years' worth, and now it was coming to an end.

He was saddened knowing that but he was not all that surprised, everything ended eventually. The only thing which never ceased to exist was love, so he would entrust his past future with love and hope for his sons. And he really hoped Rin made a leader of Sesshomaru because Kami knew the inuyōkai clan would never follow a hanyō. Besides, leading the pack was Sesshomaru's birth right. He hoped his son would remember that one day, after the anger faded. Perhaps one day Sesshomaru would know that despite their disagreements, and cruel words, he would that his father had loved him.

And if that never happened the he hoped Rin would be able to tell him.

But for now he would let Inuyasha and Izayoi know how loved they were in his life and world. He only had two cycles left in this world.

* * *

**There's a few more chapters left today and then it'll start all over tomorrow! =)  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	155. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 36

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Conniving:**_ To Pretend Ignorance Of or Fail to Take Action Against Something One Ought to Oppose…_

* * *

**Chapter 36**

There had been a few weeks here with Sesshomaru and he hadn't tried to touched her as she healed. But Rin had plan now.

After he had returned her fang and Bakusaiga to her she had started formulating her plan to get that little fang within Sesshomaru. It would not be easy but she had a feeling that if she could get him to touch her and then exhaust himself; because he hadn't slept since he had returned to this cave with her fangs. If she could get him asleep, then just make a small slit between his ribs and slip the smaller fang in between the ribs she was certain that it would work. But the trick was getting Sesshomaru asleep; sound asleep…

And thus she had been lead to being a conniving little demon but she was desperate at this point and if giving her body over to him was the way to do this then so be it. Besides, it wasn't as if she hadn't given herself to him already, and enjoyed every moment of handing herself to her lord and lover. Her mate.

Also, she really, really, really wanted him. She had a horrible feeling that their time together here and now was coming to a close. But her time with Sesshomaru would not be over, however she couldn't help but feel as if they wouldn't see one another for a long while. She didn't know why she felt this way, but it was a horrible feeling in her gut which had her reacting tonight. The storm which had rolled in last week, it had yet dissipate, was a good reason for them to stay here. she did not want to lose this time with him.

"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered as she touched his shoulder, and smiled softly.

"Rin," he looked over to her. She gingerly lifted herself to her toes and kissed his lips, he turned then as he lifted her up by her hips.

"Don't stop," she whispered as he pushed her back against the wall of the cave. She smiled at his indifferent face as he came to her again. His lips were hard and relentless. Rin carefully moved her arms around his shoulders again as her fingers entwined themselves with his hair.

"Rin," he murmured, as they retreated into the cave.

It was several hours after hours and several wonderful releases later Sesshomaru was sleeping with his arm around her waist. She twisted about then found Bakusaiga, and her pendant was still around her neck. Carefully she made a slight slit on his left side, between the ribs nearest to his heart. The moment she moved to grab the pendant between her breasts his slit closed. Rin frowned, of course, why was she not surprised by this. Slipping the pendant in her fingers she moved her Bakusaiga again then remade the slit over the rapidly fading scar.

With it made she then slid the pinkie long fang into his chest and smiled to herself as she watched his skin close on it's own then the mark she had made faded off of his pale skin. It was a truly magnificent thing to see, and she could honestly say that she did not remember anytime watching him bored her.

"I love you, my lord," Rin whispered as her fingers toyed with his bangs. She had completed her quest, her lord out obtain Bakusaiga to break Magatsuhi's curse on Sesshomaru. That was all she wanted, she couldn't lose another person she loved ever again in her life, and especially not Sesshomaru. Softly she let her fingers slide over his toned chest, his clawed hand stilled hers' though over his heart as his magenta eyes cracked open then.

"What are you doing awake Rin?" he grumbled.

"Watching over you, as you watch over me," Rin replied as she pulled her hand away to toy with his hair again as she lay on his chest. He just shifted a bit so she was more secured beside him rather than on his chest. His claws slid over her rib cage and he just shifted her.

"That's not necessary," Sesshomaru murmured as he pressed his lips to her brow. Rin just smiled and pressed herself closer to him as she inhaled his scent. And her mind wandered as her fingers stretched over the steady beat of his heart.

"But it is, sometimes you need to be looked after too," Rin murmured and she knew those ears of his heard her as she closed her eyes and her hand wandered to where she had slid the fang into him. Come time he'd have Bakusaiga and how that was supposed to cure Magatsuhi she didn't know but she was putting her faith into Sesshomaru and Naohi. Hopefully this would be worth it all in the end, perhaps the ends really did justify the means.

"No Rin," his claws slid over her spine as she shifted again and her leg was draped over his hips. Sesshomaru moved her about and then she was under him.

"Sesshomaru!" Rin gasped as his hands fisted in her hair and her fingers curled into arms and there was a look in those amber eyes.

"Rin, why do you aid your lord?" Sesshomaru asked her. "Where was he to save you?"

"He sent you," Rin whispered. "And I'll always support him, no matter what kind of an ass he can be or will become. I love you Sesshomaru, and in the end that's all that matters. Accept it Sesshomaru," Rin murmured as she lifted her head and kissed his lips. Sesshomaru deepened the kiss then as he moved over her. Rin shifted her legs so he was settled more securely there. Smiling a bit when he pulled away she let her hands wander over his taunt muscles. His lips traveled over her jaw line and Rin closed her eyes to let the sensations fill her.

"I love you," she whispered again.

He said nothing as his lips traveled over her pulse.

* * *

**One more chapter...possibly, maybe, it's up in the air! We'll see! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	156. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 37

**A Return to Tomorrow...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Conniving:**_ To Pretend Ignorance Of or Fail to Take Action Against Something One Ought to Oppose…_

* * *

**Chapter 37**

They were laying there and Sesshomaru felt…content. It had felt like an eternity since he had felt content but that's all he was feeling as he lay there with Rin sleeping soundly in his arms. The woman seemed to be exhausted finally, he mused as he looked the small woman over. She was so different, so strange, so fearless for a human that he wondered just why she was that way. No female he had ever met was as fearless as Rin. She just did not seem to understand the meaning of fear.

It would be the death of him, he decided as he moved a stray strand of black hair aside.

Rin sniffled, grumbled then shifted so she was more securely pressed against his side. He just lay there and smirked a bit. At least she was sedated now, and as he lay there he regretfully acknowledged that he'd have to return her to Setsuna. Sesshomaru did not wish to return her to Setsuna but the coming snows, and the snow in the mountains was an indicator to him that it was important he return her. But he would admit to himself that these past few weeks with Rin while she healed were some of the best he had ever had.

Carefully he sat up away from Rin, she grumbled then was dead to the world as she lay beneath his mokomoko on her stomach. He'd have thought her dead when she slept because Rin did not move, at all, she didn't sleep talk like he had heard some humans do, and she did not wake for any reason when she was truly exhausted. If he hadn't known better he'd have thought his human to be a corpse. But she wasn't, she just slept like one in the same position every night. Standing he left the mokomoko with Rin and pulled on his garments again before walking to the cave entrance.

The wind sliced through him but the cold did not mean anything to him as he stood there staring at the ocean in it's perpetual cycle, the waves receding, building, crashing into the shore again only to recede. He hadn't thought too hard about why he had gone towards the cost rather than in land. Territories had changed, empires risen and fallen but it always seemed to him that the land never changed, the cycles the world experienced never ceased and life carried on.

He looked to the sky, he'd have to return Rin, it was the night of the new moon and he had a few things to attend to come the solstice which fell on the lunar eclipse this year. Turning he walked back into the cave, Rin hadn't moved but he wasn't surprised. His human had done a good job of getting herself exhausted and then she had let him have her so she was dead to the world at the moment. It was a pleasing feeling but one which he ignored as he knelt over her.

"Rin, wake, it's time to go," Sesshomaru said harshly. She cracked a brown eye at him with a look of utter irritation and he was sorely tempted to kiss her again.

"Sleep," Rin mumbled then turned her head. He frowned then he yanked mokomoko away from her. She yelped but glared at him. Rin glared, he smirked, she grumbled, he stood before he jumped her, she grabbed her clothes and began angrily yanking them on. He just watched as she covered all of those old and new scars, scars which he found absolutely mesmerizing and enchanting.

Most females liked being flawless, to have that porcelain skin as a sign of beauty and long lives. To him it only showed him how weak a female was, he had his own battle scars and marks to show his strength and valor. Rin had her own, and they told a story he had never thought possible for a human woman. A yōkai certainly, but he had never thought a human woman to have this brand of bravery; bordering on stupidity.

"Where to, Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin yawned as she stretched her hands over her head. He noted Bakusaiga was on her hip again. He truly liked that fang and he wondered if perhaps one day he could convince Rin to hand it over to him. But until then he'd leave the fang with her. The blade clearly was choosy about it's users and he was proud (for whatever reason) that Bakusaiga had chosen Rin as it's handler.

"You are returning to Setsuna for the time being and staying there with my father's mate," Sesshomaru said as he scooped Rin up. She just wrapped her arms around his shoulders then.

"Fine," Rin yawned as her head rested against his mokomoko. Sesshomaru just held her closely as he enveloped them in light and then blasted forward towards Setsuna.

* * *

Rin didn't particularly wish to return to Setsuna but she wouldn't argue this matter with Sesshomaru when he seemed to have his mind made up. When he was like this her opinion and wants were irrelevant. She knew this and that was the only reason she had decided to be silent and curl up against his chest. Besides, she had completed her mission and she would return home. She would return to her Sesshomaru and live her life with him.

But for this moment she would just be held by Sesshomaru as she was again returned to a particular place she did not wish to return. Rin had already said her farewells, and she did not wish to be around with Izayoi and InuTaisho were killed, she just wanted to go home. But she wouldn't say that to Sesshomaru.

Rin sighed and inhaled Sesshomaru strong scent again. Smiling to herself she remembered her childhood and how he smelled just this way. Like the forest, and freedom. It was a good scent and a scent only he had which she could always find. Closing her eyes again Rin let her body continue resting as he raced her back to Setsuna where she'd have to leave again. She'd have to go back down the well, she couldn't stay here.

* * *

**Good Morning! Again...  
**

***sigh* I should get a life outside of writing...then again maybe not. Anyways! Another day of many updates of this, and folks, we're not near the end yet so relax a bit. I'm just enjoying writing this way too much to stop at this moment! =) If I was smart I'd pace myself but I just really like writing this and I have the time at this moment.**

**Try to keep up with the chapters today! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	157. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 38

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Conniving:**_ To Pretend Ignorance Of or Fail to Take Action Against Something One Ought to Oppose…_

* * *

**Chapter 38**

Izayoi had become accustomed to avoiding Takemaru, especially since she could no longer hide the swelling of her stomach, her baby was due for another cycle but the bulge was huge and not exactly something she could hide anymore. It also didn't help that she was now isolated from the others because everyone thought she had been raped.

And this led to Izayoi's near death experience with shock to find Rin curled up sleeping with that white katana in her arms on Izayoi's futon so serenely.

"Rin!" Izayoi exclaimed, the girl cracked her eye then looked around room.

"Should've known the bastard would be of his word," Rin grumbled as she sat up. Carefully Izayoi lowered herself to the ground with a huge grin plastered on her face. She couldn't get rid of the grin, and as she smiled she noted Rin had a few angry scars showing on her jaw.

"Rin, did you get mauled? Again?" Izayoi demanded snatching the girl's chin and tilting her head to the side. Her jaw nearly dropped when she figured out what it was. She had several of her own but now where anyone could see!

"Ummm…. Can I decline to answer that?" Rin inquired with a serious tone. She nearly fell over laughing at her friend's serious expression. Kami was Rin so serious! And it was truly good to have a serious, honest, and blunt friend back. Though Rin was also maddeningly evasive in some matters.

"It's good to see you again Rin," Izayoi admitted as her fingers trailed over her too large bump.

"It's nice to see you too, and just so you know, my lady I wasn't just mauled by my mate, I fought a dragon and won! Though I nearly died but I came out alive! What a feat!" Rin exclaimed with joy.

"Rin! You should be more careful!" Izayoi snapped at her young friend. Rin stuck her tongue out then. Izayoi frowned but it only lasted a moment before she was laughing again.

"Being careful is overrated and I'm on life three so I am obligated to my lord to live this life to the fullest," Rin informed her.

"Stop making me laugh, you'll rile up the baby!" Izayoi gasped out between bouts of sweet lost laughter.

"Believe me that kid does not need my help to get all excited!" Rin assured her. Izayoi nearly doubled over as she listened to Rin's tale of the dragon.

"Rin, sometimes I swear you'll terrify me into an early grave! Have you no respect of life or a healthy dose of fear in you!?" Izayoi demanded. Her heart was racing away mercilessly in her chest as she sat there.

"Nonsense, fear is only reserved for humans," Rin said it firmly with a defiant nod of her head. Izayoi just shook her head, the girl was trouble and she had known that since Rin had woken up and stated she was her lord's Rin.

"Rin!" Izayoi just shuddered at the idea of doing what Rin had done.

* * *

"Sesshomaru, it's good to see your return!" he looked over to Fumio and Chieko then continued walking through his mother's grounds to find his father. InuTaisho was sitting in his study, Sesshomaru didn't even bother with knocking as he walked in and sat before his father.

"I was told you wanted to speak to me," Sesshomaru stated in an icy tone. His father's gold eyes flicked up to him then back at the documents he was reading over.

"Yes, Ryūkotsusei is claiming you have poisoned him."

"Hn," Sesshomaru answered. Mostly because if he did admit to it then the clan would have cause to try to kill him, and if he didn't he was insulting his own abilities. So neutral was truly the best course of action.

"Because of this Ryūkotsusei has demanded I come to the dragon territory with you to sort this matter out. He said it was because you defending a…" his father looked at one of the scrolls on his desk then. "'Walking ghost human', I'm assuming then Rin is also in this mess somehow but no one can find her."

"Hn," Sesshomaru answered. He'd now have to worry about hiding Rin from the wrath of his father and Ryūkotsusei. Good friends with his father or not Sesshomaru knew Rin was in over her head and if ordered to make peace with the dragons he had to kill Rin, Sesshomaru knew his father would. He would kill Izayoi if it gave the clans peace too.

"The day of the lunar eclipse you and I will travel to the dragons to sort this mess out. I trust Rin is prepared for her leaving?" InuTaisho asked absently.

"Hn," Sesshomaru stood then and walked out of the office. He walked straight to the stables where that odd two headed, nameless dragon was. The gift from her so long ago, he would be returning her gift to her so she could escape. The dragon would surely like Rin for his mistress, after all, he did not have much use for the beast.

* * *

Izayoi's laughter sent his heart wild with joy because it had been so long since he had had last heard her laughter. Curious Takemaru made his way to Izayoi's quarters. He rapped on the entrance softly.

"Come in," her feminine voice called for him. Takemaru slid open the door and he was greeted with the radiant sight of Izayoi, an extremely pregnant Izayoi but she looked beautiful all the same. However his eyes narrowed on the sight of Rin sitting there with a slight smile on her lips.

"Takemaru! I was not told of your return!" Izayoi said her smile fading as she tried to get up.

"Stay still Izayoi, a woman in your condition shouldn't be up and about," Takemaru said dismissively.

"Takemaru," Rin greeted him flatly, her expression carefully guarded and he felt his shackles rising at her tone.

"Have some respect you insolent woman! I am the master of this compound and I demand you give me the needed respect!" Takemaru snapped at her.

"Leave Rin alone, she has had a tiring journey to bring me news of my homeland, and she has been speaking with a midwife so I might deliver my child safely. You should have more respect for Rin!" Izayoi snapped at him. He frowned but said nothing as he left the women in peace. There was no point in bothering Izayoi with the pesky knowledge that her child would not live out the year, the monster within her would not live for surely the monster within her would be just like his father.

* * *

**I must have scrapped four versions of this chapter before I settled on this version...  
**

**Dunno why it was just difficult to put together, however the next one is flowing beautifully! =) Just give me a little time and food and I'll have another chapter up! =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	158. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 39

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Conniving:**_ To Pretend Ignorance Of or Fail to Take Action Against Something One Ought to Oppose…_

* * *

**Chapter 39**

Takemaru sat alone in his gardens thinking his plans over. The snow fell around him and his dark eyes flicked up to Izayoi walking with her favored handmaid, Rin. His frown appeared at the sight of Rin, he hated that girl and she was always around. The girl was a nuisance which never left! And it did not help him on getting Izayoi alone to talk to her with Rin hovering around.

He needed to talk to Izayoi about their wedding which was to be happening in three days' time.

And he would be marrying Izayoi whether or not she wanted to marry him was irrelevant. The woman would need a husband and he wanted her. She would be his. All he had to do was somehow manage to get around Izayoi's guard dog. Rin was a very intimidating young woman, it was something in those dark eyes which had even him wavering.

Rin was something different and whatever she had been doing since she had last left here had given her this gleam in her eyes which had even him taking a step back from Rin. He didn't know what that woman had lived through but whatever it had been, it had changed her. She now had a way about her which had him becoming very cautious around her.

However, he did need to talk to Izayoi about the impending marriage and her baby. The baby who he would be killing when it was born so she did not have to deal with the horrors of raising a monster. She would not need to be tortured with that burden, he would not permit the woman he loved to be hurt that way.

"Izayoi," he called out and the women turned to look at him. He carefully stood and slid his blade into his sash as he walked towards the women.

"Takemaru, what can I do for you?" Izayoi asked him and his eyes flicked to Rin.

"Can we speak alone?" he asked sharply as his eyes narrowed threateningly on the smaller woman. How was it that the small woman before him sent a chill down his spine in something he'd equate with fear? However he refused to reveal how he was feeling about Rin.

"Certainly, call me if you should need me Izayoi," Rin said and then the girl walked out into the garden. He watched her go and then he turned towards Izayoi.

"What is it?" she asked him with a soft smile,

"About the impending wedding…" he started.

* * *

Rin kept her arms folded within her kimono sleeves as she walked the garden noting all the new guards here. Escaping here to get to the Bone Eater's Well was beginning to look to be beyond challenging. Escaping was not going to be easy. Frowning she looked around the compound wall, the archers were always patrolling and they seemed to be on alert. Rin was tempted to just run but she had a bad feeling that she would not be able to outrun an arrow aimed at her if she were to escape.

Thus meant she'd have to go about finding a way for Takemaru to want to throw her out. Rin did not particularly like that thought because Takemaru still scared the hell out of her. As a child she had been plagued of nightmares about only three vilians.

One, Koga; she would never be able to view of that wolf as an ally. After his minions had ripped her apart, ripped her body and flesh apart stealing her life from her had forever scarred her view of wolves. She did not care if Koga was a friend of Kagome's, he would never be a friend of hers' and he would forever be a demon in her nightmares.

Two, Magatsuhi; the creation of evil from the Shikon no Tama. That thing had attacked her, stabbed her lord in the chest, then laughed about her lord being weak. On top of that Magatsuhi had stolen her, possessed her body, invaded her thoughts and heart, twisted her emotions around against her, then terrorized her exclusively after having handing her over to Naraku. The way he had invaded her though, unforgivable, she didn't care about Naraku for he would never scare her; but she had seen Magatsuhi try to kill her lord and it had terrified her.

And finally, three; Takemaru; the only human who had directed a hatred so intense in her direction that she had wanted disappear. He had swung Sō'unga at her as she had defended Kagome and the look in those dead eyes had had her trembling with fear. Sesshomaru had saved her, of course, but it did not change the fact that Takemaru had directed at her, directly at her. She had seen that while he had held Sō'unga at Kagome his gaze had been on her, holding Tenseiga and he had tried to kill them. More specifically he was going to try kill her.

Now she had to escape here after Sesshomaru had returned to the very prison which she had hoped to never come to after running after that dragon's blood. Now she was here with Bakusaiga on her hip and her mind frantically trying to figure a way out of this mess. Which her lord had conveniently dropped her in again. When she got back to her time she was throttling Sesshomaru for this mess!

* * *

InuTaisho was not happy about listening to Takemaru and he made plans to meet up with Izayoi to tell her that she would not be marrying Takemaru. He'd sooner kidnap her and hide her away from the world but he was not going to resort to that yet. He was tempted though, sorely tempted to hide her away.

But he had given his word to Rin that he would not try to alter the course of the coming history. And so he was sitting here in a tree glaring down to his killer, Rin was in the gardens looking like she was going to bolt and he had to sigh. He wished things could be different but he would not break his word to Rin.

* * *

**One more chapter will be posted tonight! I've been a little busy today so sorry for the delays.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	159. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 40

**A Return to Tomorrow... **

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Conniving:**_ To Pretend Ignorance Of or Fail to Take Action Against Something One Ought to Oppose…_

* * *

**Chapter 40**

"Rin!" her head snapped around to look to Izayoi who was hurrying down the walk way to her.

"What happened!?" Rin demanded, her hand closing around Bakusaiga to attack whatever threat had Izayoi agitated.

"We need to talk, let's go!" Izayoi grabbed her sleeve, Rin stumbled after the woman; pregnant women were surprisingly strong! Rin just stumbled after her. They came into Izayoi's quarters then.

"What's the problem!?" Rin demanded as she stumbled around Izayoi.

"Takemaru, he's moved up the marriage date!" Izayoi gasped, her hand clutched her lower bludge.

"Calm down Izayoi! This isn't good for the baby!" Rin said as her friend grasped her hand. Her eyes crossed in pain at the grasp Izayoi had on her hand but she just focused on breathing through her pain.

"My marriage is not good for Takemaru! InuTaisho will murder him Rin!" Izayoi hissed, Rin just focused on herding an agitated pregnant woman to a cushioned surface for her to sit her down. This could be bad for Izayoi and Inuyasha if she did not get the woman off of her feet.

"Izayoi, breath, this is not the end of the world!" Rin said as she helped the woman down to her futon. Instinct had her mimicking breathing to calm Izayoi, Izayoi mimicked her breathing as she leaned back into the pillows. "Now, calm down before you speak, because if you don't you will go into labor, and that will not be healthy for you or the baby. Hanyō babies are fussy about their mothers and their mother's wellbeing so you must settle down. Everything you feel your baby feels but to the extreme, so settle down."

"But Rin!" Izayoi panted out.

"Shut it!" Rin snapped as she continued breathing and Izayoi mimicked her. She was losing feeling in her hand but she was ignoring that praying Izayoi would settle. She couldn't tolerate this, she didn't want to have to deliver one of her best friends; that would be really weird and scarring to her. Rin did not want to bring Inuyasha into this world! In fact, she refused.

"Rin, I can't marry Takemaru!" Izayoi huffed out after she finally stopped panicking. Rin just sighed and then pried her dead hand from Izayoi's fingers to shake her hand about trying to regain feeling in her hand.

"Relax Izayoi! You will not be marrying Takemaru, and besides, you should tell him that you are not carrying a human baby but rather a hanyō pup," Rin stated. Izayoi paled as she wrapped her arms around her buldge.

"No," Izayoi whispered.

"Get over yourself, you think you can hide a hanyō!? Kami-sama help you! Izayoi, no hanyō ever looks human so you will not, despite what you think, hanyōs cannot be hidden, they may look really close to human, and they may even turn human once in a while but they are not nor do they look, human!" Rin snapped.

"But!"

"No, you can tell him now or hide it but I can guarantee that either way he will find out, Izayoi!" Rin stated the fact she knew would kill her friend but it was unavoidable. Besides… hiding the fact Inuyasha was hanyō…impossible! Silver hair, dog's ears, wet nose, fangs, claws, and the amber eyes; all dead give a ways anyway!

"But…"

"Izayoi, this is a hardship of mating InuTaisho that you will have to face."

"Oh, what should I do?"

"I'm not the one to know what to do here, I've never been in this situation," Rin said softly. Izayoi's eyes were filled with tears and Rin sighed as she again offered the woman her hand for comfort. Izayoi took her hand and Rin decided on a simpler course of action.

"How about this, you tell him by the wedding that you can't marry him or I'll tell him," Rin decided.

"Would you really do that?"

"Certainly, I don't think it'll harm anyone if I deliver the news," Rin lied. She had a feeling people would be hurt no matter what.

"Alright, the wedding is tomorrow evening." Izayoi mumbled. Rin's head landed in her palm. Now she knew where Inuyasha's last minute trait came from. This was not going to be an easy task, Rin just sighed.

"You and InuTaisho just live to make my life difficult!" Rin sighed as she fell against the tatami mats. Damn them and her overly complicated life! Why couldn't she just once have an easy go of things!? Would it be too much to ask that one time it would be easy for her?

"Sorry," Izayoi whispered to her.

"Not a problem, my lord doesn't make my life easy either," Rin waved Izayoi off then as she thought this situation over carefully.

* * *

Izayoi just sat there nervously looking at her friend who seemed to be thinking this through. What had she done!? Looking at her growing bump she was relieved that Rin had calmed her so her baby would stop his slashing of her insides. She swore that the kid had claws and he didn't know restraint as he raked her insides which was not a pleasant feeling to her.

But now she knew she had just thrown her burden on Rin and made it for Rin to handle Takemaru. Rin didn't like this, she could see that clearly on Rin's face as the woman thought this through.

"I'm sorry Rin," Izayoi murmured.

"No, you're find, I'm just trying to think of a way to talk to Takemaru and not die," Rin said honestly.

"He's not that frightening Rin," Izayoi stated.

"Then you tell him," Rin retorted.

"No! I'm terrified!" Izayoi snapped at her.

"Then give me some time to think," Rin demanded and Izayoi sighed as she waited for Rin to come up with an answer. It wasn't a good feeling for her to thrust all of this on Rin but she was terrified at this moment as she sat there staring at her huge bump.

"You're creating trouble," she hissed to her bump and Rin burst into laughter then.

* * *

**Alrighty...  
**

**That's all for tonight folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	160. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 41

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Assassination:** _The Act of Assassinating; killing by treacherous violence…_

* * *

**Chapter 41**

The impending wedding today was the first thing Rin was told about as she was woken rudely to be dragged to Izayoi's quarters to help the princess with her wedding garb and hair. Not that Rin knew what she would be doing!

For the love of Kami-sama she had been trained as a midwife and healer; not a hand maid. Also, did she really look like the kind of woman to do more than braid her hair or stab it with the occasional hair pins? And the one formal kimono she wore was from Yuki, about three hundred years into the past! She was sunk if she was actually required to help Izayoi in this matter. Rin stumbled into Izayoi's quarters, the door was slammed shut and Rin spun around to face Izayoi then.

"Good morning my lady," Rin greeted her. Izayoi was biting her thumb nervously as she turned to look at her. "That's not lady like," Rin said as she pulled Izayoi's thumb from her.

"I can't let you tell Takemaru," Izayoi said firmly. Rin rolled her eyes as she walked nearer the warm fire pit. Her toes were frozen but that was the hazard of being dragged out of her bed first thing on a winter's morning. Sighing she looked up to the ceiling of the room and thought about this.

"Someone has to tell him," Rin pointed out.

"Yes, and I will, before the wedding," Izayoi murmured.

"And then what? It would be best to tell him now," Rin argued. For there was truth in her words and both she and Izayoi knew it. Izayoi sighed and then sat beside her.

"This is my doing, I will simply tell Takemaru that I cannot marry him because I am married," Izayoi whispered. Rin just looked at the woman beside her and pondered this for a moment.

"You can do that, I just don't know how he'll handle it." Rin admitted, she was terrified for Izayoi's and Inuyasha's safety but she wouldn't say that. She had seen the hatred in Takemaru's eyes, but that was to come rather than right now, and Rin had hopes that perhaps he wouldn't be so hateful. It was a vain hope but she had it all the same.

"Still, I should get ready for the wedding," Izayoi murmured. Rin rolled her eyes as her head fell back.

"You just can't make things easy can you? You just have to be like Kagome!" Rin sighed in exasperation. Why couldn't people make things easy for a change? Did they get some twisted pleasure from making things complicated!? Rin didn't know.

"Who's Kagome?" Izayoi asked her and Rin's head snapped to her friend.

"I said that out loud!?" Rin demanded sharper than she intended.

"Yes…?"

"Damnit! Ah…Kagome…she's, um…well, ah…Kagome's…Kagome's like a sister?...Yes, she'd like a sister to me, and she'd an eternal complication to life and she also has this annoying matchmaking habit. Apparently she thinks she's the expert in love because she got a lecherous friend of ours to marry the woman who loves him. She also has this nasty habit of overcomplicating things and making everything dramatic, you kind of remind me of her and that's a pretty good thing sometimes. Right now, it just reminds me why I travel with my lord," Rin said honestly. She thought it was an apt description of her friend; and she hadn't insulted either Kagome or Izayoi in the process.

"She sounds…interesting," Izayoi decided.

"More like annoyingly cheerful…" Rin grumbled. Izayoi laughed. "'tis no laughing matter! She drives me to insanity with her cheerfulness!"

"You two sound close," Izayoi said softly.

"We are, she's like the annoying older sister I never had, her and Sango. But now I can also say I had a third elder sister, you," Rin said honestly. Izayoi smiled a watery smile then. "Now, if you're insisting on dressing up for this wedding let's get started. But my lady; I'm forewarning you now I'm a midwife and healer, I'm not a handmaid so I have no idea how to help you with your kimono, or hair."

"I know, but I know how Rin. We'll muddle through this with ease then." Izayoi assured her. Rin didn't counter it as they got to their feet to get ready for the wedding.

* * *

Sesshomaru stood there in his mother's chambers after having been called there. He was not thrilled about this but it appeared his mother had something she wished to give him. He didn't like this.

"Mother," he greeted her icily.

"Sesshomaru," she said with a coy smile. His gold eyes tracked her every move. "I do know about the girl, just as I know of Izayoi, and I must say that you and your father's affections for those humans is unusual. Oh I understand you being smitten with yours, she's a truly charming creature; and she's brave. Such a rare trait in humans."

"What do you want mother?" Sesshomaru asked icily.

"Nothing, but I have a gift to present to the mate of my son to show her my thanks, I never did get to thank her for saving you all those years ago when you were a pup." InuKimi lifted up a cherry wood decorative box then and walked over to him. "I had this commissioned for her, a gift to her for saving you and for being a truly wonderful protector of you. I had hopes to give this to her but I feel that it would be for the best if you were the one to give it to her."

"What is it?" he asked her as he carefully took the offered box from his mother.

"Nothing which can repay the debt I owe her, but a small token of affection and appreciation I have for her," InuKimi answered. He opened the box and blinked at what he was looking at. Then his eyes flicked to his mother as he closed the box and left her quarters. He walked into the gardens of the inuyōkai compound then enveloped himself in light to sprint off to Rin.

* * *

**Hopefully lots of chapters of this today! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	161. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 42

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Assassination:** _The Act of Assassinating; killing by treacherous violence…_

* * *

**Chapter 42**

Izayoi was ready for a wedding, her hair was done, her kimono was wrapped around her bulging belly and she was now waddling through the compound again looking for Takemaru. He wasn't that difficult to find but her heart was pounding because she was terrified of telling him the truth. Worse was everyone was getting ready for the wedding which she had no intentions of going through with. But still, she would tell him this now and she would be brave about it, he would not see a trembling bride.

But what was worse in her mind was all the effort everyone was going through for her sake to get ready for a wedding which would never come. Even Rin was dressed up in her formal kimono for this affair which would not be happening. It was breaking Izayoi's heart but she would not go through with this wedding, she would not hurt InuTaisho or Takemaru that way. Besides, there was also the rambunctious life within her to consider and care for.

"Takemaru, may we speak?" Izayoi asked when she walked to his quarters.

"Izayoi?"

"Yes, may we please speak?" she persisted, she would not lose her nerve today, she would not go through with the wedding.

"Certainly, come in Izayoi," he slid the entrance to his quarters open then and she carefully waddled in. Being pregnant made everything so awkward, and her balance was off most of the time. Still, it would not deter her from admitting the truth about her pregnancy which was something she was still dreading.

"Takemaru, about the wedding…" she started and he cut her off.

"You needn't worry about your tainted reputation, Izayoi, I fully understand this situation was not your doing in anyway." He said it in a gentle voice which had her paling.

"It was though, this is all my doing," Izayoi pointed out.

"Nonsense, no female ever asks to be raped," Takemaru said dismissively as he walked past her. Izayoi stiffened remembering the lie she had encouraged when she had discovered her pregnancy. But the raid had happened two cycles after she had conceived and she didn't want to point that out. Her baby was going to be born soon, quicker than anyone thought too and she was coming within the next lunar cycle.

"I was not raped and I cannot marry you Takemaru," Izayoi said it in a firm voice but her body was trembling with a fear she didn't know as Takemaru slowly turned to face her. "I fell in love with an inu daiyōkai, we married; Rin can attest to this, and I am now bearing his child. I had hopes that he would win the war so I might be with him and we could raise our child together but since it appears they lost interest in the war I cannot do that. I will take my punishment and leave, I will not humiliate you or your family any further."

"Wait, Izayoi," he grabbed her arm and she turned to look up into those dark guarded eyes. A man whom she had once wished to love but couldn't because she was not destined to do so. She was in love with InuTaisho, and despite the pain she appeared to be inflicting upon Takemaru she couldn't change that fact. "Why didn't you just tell me this?"

"Because, you hate yōkai Takemaru; and I understand. The inuyōkai killed your sister, they slaughtered your troops, and they've attacked your people. However, this does not change the fact that I love an inuyōkai. I can't change that and I didn't wish to tell you because I did not have any desires to put you in more pain than you've already endured." She looked at his dark eyes hoping he would understand but there was a dangerous flash of something in those eyes which she could not label or change. "I am truly sorry for this humiliation for you. I will leave now."

* * *

He made it there with plenty of time to spare, he noted as he then used a leaf to disguise himself as a normal human. Walking through Setsuna he sought out the woman, Rin, Mikadzuki's gift was perfectly preserved in his little travel pouch and he had no doubt Rin would be in need of it.

Speaking of…

"Ah Rin, a long time, the centuries are most kind to you!" he called out to her. Her black head whipped around as she stared owlishly at him. Despite his human disguise he knew she knew who he was as she stood there blinking dumbfounded at him.

"Masaru?"

"Do not tell me you forgot your favorite kitsune already!" he mocked pain and she smiled.

"Masaru! It's so good to see you! I thought you were dead!" she said as she hurried towards him. He noted the formal kimono and decided that he had Mikadzuki's desired timing perfectly for giving her the final gift of Mikadzuki.

"Not as of late, you look beautiful Rin! Absolutely stunning, surely your mate's tongue will roll out of his jaws to his feet at the sight of you!" he said seriously.

"Nonsense, so what brings your to Setsuna?" Rin asked as she then walked beside him.

"A final parting gift from Mikadzuki-sama herself, to you," he replied and Rin frowned.

"I do not know your Mikadzuki so why would she desire to bestow me with a parting gift?" Rin asked him innocently enough and he smiled. Ignorance was bliss sometimes and Mikadzuki had been very specific in her instructions of him giving her the gift.

"Rin, while you may not know Mikadzuki; I can assure you personally that she knows you very, very, unusually well. Even by her standards she knows you quite well which is saying something because she does not get out all that much," he mused.

"You should not insult your lady and mistress Masaru; she might hear you and have your tails," Rin said hotly and he laughed.

"Mikadzuki will not be insulted with my remark because she is too busy to get out all that much; hense the reason I am her humble servant and messenger!" Masaru said seriously, his lady was a truly busy creature with many things to attend to.

"Alright, so what is this gift she wishes you to give me?" Rin asked him. He stepped infront of her, his claws pulling out the final gift to slip into her obi.

"You will not need see it until after everything is over tonight; understand. Do not look at the gift until after tonight," he whispered in her ear and Rin stiffened.

"Why?"

"For the same reasons you had InuTaisho swear not to try to alter the coming events," Masaru murmured and Rin just stared at him with wide eyes. He smiled and then he let himself be consumed in kitsunebi.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	162. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 43

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Assassination:** _The Act of Assassinating; killing by treacherous violence…_

* * *

**Chapter 43**

Rin was standing there stunned after Masaru disappeared in a mass of blue flames and now she did not know how to feel about seeing him then him vanishing. Damn kitsune!

"Hello!" Rin groaned as a strong set of arms grabbed her and she was slammed into a set of quarters against a wall. His mouth was on hers as his hands fisted in her hair. Rin just melted to his touch knowing full well who it was and he pulled away from her then. Those heated amber eyes made her blush slightly and smile.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Rin breathed.

"Rin," his voice was again maddeningly indifferent and cold to listen too. However she didn't mind until she remembered where she was. She was in Setsuna! _**WHAT THE HELL WAS HE DOING IN HERE!?**_

"You can't be here!" she hissed remembering, he lifted a brow then bent over to nip her bottom lip. Rin didn't resist his touch as she scowled at him.

"A gift for you," he said simply and she remembered her childhood when he would say that before presenting her with a beautiful kimono, or medical scroll, or a new weapon, or the occasional bits of jewelry.

"A gift for me?" Rin asked softly as she looked up to him. It was apparent at moments like this they had a drastic height difference though he was not as tall as her lord from her time was. Then again; that could've been the perspective of a child always looking up, in that case Sesshomaru was a giant to her. Still, he was tall, a lot taller than her and she only ever seemed to notice this when he was presenting her with gifts. That was strange, wasn't it?

"InuKimi hopes you will like it," he said softly then he placed a cherry wood box in her fingers. It wasn't big, it was a fairy small box and she wondered what was in it. What could InuKimi, her mentor and mother-in-law have to give her that she hadn't already given her? InuKimi was known to give her plenty of gifts as well as her son; she had even give Rin her first fur so she appeared to be more like an inuyōkai than human.

"Sesshomaru! It's beautiful!" she gasped when she finally worked up the courage to lift the beautiful lid of the reddish, polished, carved wood. What she was staring at had her heart skipping a few beats for it was a truly beautiful piece. It was simple hair pin; nothing as extravagant as the kimonos or jewelry she had received but it was by far the prettiest piece she had ever seen.

It was a silver flower, with blue trim, green decorative leaves, an amber stone in the middle of the flower with ruby and sapphire dangle jewels. The piece was set on a silver spike to stab her hair in place but it was beautiful as she stared at it.

"Here," he pulled back some of her hair; she remembered a child when he would do this for her, so she could have that little tail. He seemed to instinctively do her hair how she had worn it as a child as the pin was slid into a bit of her swept up hair.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama, and give InuKimi my thanks," Rin said softly as she walked over to a looking glass. Her hair was swept up elegantly but as she had worn it as a child, it was simple and somehow graceful with her hair swept up that way.

"Hn," he murmured as his lips brushed her newly exposed pulse and then he was gone. Rin just smiled to herself as she stared at her new hair ornament. This was beautiful, and she liked it as she stood there examining it. So InuKimi had given this to her, it was beautiful and feminine and she could see InuKimi's little touches. Smiling she then walked to the door and opened the door. She gasped at those eyes; those eyes which haunted her nightmares as a hand grabbed her throat and shoved her back into the room.

* * *

"Let me out!" Izayoi shouted as she pounded the door then. The chain rattled from around her wrist as she banged on the door. She had to get to Rin! She couldn't let Takemaru hurt Rin! She couldn't lose her friend from her stupidity.

"Rin!" Izayoi screamed, she didn't want her friend to die!

"Rin! Somebody! Anyone! Let Me Out! Please!" she sobbed, her belly contracted and she doubled over in pain as she sobbed the tears which would not stop flowing. The pain which ripped through her body had her falling to her knees as she continued sobbing.

* * *

"Where is Sesshomaru?" InuTaisho asked walking through the halls of the inuyōkai compound.

"I gave him a gift for his beloved person, as a token of my thanks. Why did you not say Rin had returned?" InuKimi asked as she walked the halls. He just did a double take of his best friend, she huffed out a breath of irritation. "The soothsayer who you wanted to rip apart for saving Sesshomaru when he had been a pup, she's this Rin. She's Sesshomaru beloved person!"

"Oh, oh!" he stopped as that realization hit him. "They're the same Rin?" he questioned.

"InuTaisho! Pull your head out of your ass and pay attention!" InuKimi snapped and he grinned at his best friend. It was funny to him when he could get her to let go of her indifferent manner and snap at him. Mostly because she was so good at being indifferent, callous, and distant.

"I'm sorry, they seem to be two different people in my mind," InuTaisho defended.

"No, you were two different creatures, Sesshomaru's beloved person has never changed or wavered in who she was," InuKimi stated firmly. InuTaisho stared at her and the conviction with which she spoke. How had he not been able to love her? Had he not tried hard enough?

"I'm sorry," he suddenly said it and she stopped to stare at him.

"For what!?" she looked surprised and he stepped to her taking her claws hand in his. She just looked at him like he was suspicious and up to something.

"I'm tried to love you and I'm sorry I couldn't," he murmured and she softened then as she touched his jaw.

"I'm happy with what I've gotten, and it wasn't all bad. I got Sesshomaru out of it and I've never lost my best friend, I'm happy InuTaisho. I'm happy and I've loved and that's all a creature needs in life. Besides, I've met Sesshomaru's beloved person and your beloved person seems wonderful so I can live with what I've had," InuKimi informed him then walked off.

InuTaisho just stared at his best friend as she left him and decided he'd go look over Izayoi again.

* * *

**Sorry for the delays, I've been a little busy today however there'll be two more chapters tonight!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	163. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 44

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Assassination:** _The Act of Assassinating; killing by treacherous violence…_

* * *

**Chapter 44**

She slammed her open palm into Takemaru's nose, he released her throat, she grabbed Bakusaiga from her sash to slam the hilt of the fang into his stomach and then she spun it around without unsheathing it as she slammed it into his shoulder then she turned to try to run again. Hands grabbed her ankls. She slammed into the ground spun onto her back just as a blade came down on her, she didn't scream as it sliced through her lower chest. She kicked him in the groin instead, Takemaru stumbled away, she hissed when he yanked the blade out of her then.

Carefully Rin scrambled to her feet then ran as she pressed her free hand to the bleeding wound. Her bare feet hit the snow and she felt them being sliced by the cold as she ran. Rin made it out of the front gates of the compound as she stumbled, she felt her obi pressing tightly over the stab wound but she could also feel the blood leaving her body as she ran. Running a little ways her world wavered and she stumbled, looking up she saw a small group of people. Four at the most; help, her mind screamed though her instincts screamed danger.

"Help!" Rin shouted as she stumbled, the group of men turned her and her heart hit the pit of her stomach as she tried to back up.

"Well lookie here men, a pretty concubine of Takemaru's out in the open, what shall we do with her?" one of the men sneered. Her fingers curled over her bloodied stab wound as she tried to back away from them.

"Let's have our way with this beauty!" another declared. Rin was backing away, this was not helping her body as she felt the blood sliding beneath her silk robes. The kimono Yuki had given her was being ruined by her blood but it did not seem that important as she stared over at the men coming towards her. Fear and old memories had her paralyzed as she backed away from them. Those leering faces, they all sparked the vivid memory of the night her family was massacred.

"_**SESSHOMARU-SAMA!**_" Rin screamed at the top of her lungs as she ran with Bakusaiga held tightly in her fingers. She had to get away! She needed Sesshomaru! She needed him here now! Her bloodied feet ran over the snow, she struggled not to stagger but with each step it seemed harder to do.

She knew that if she wanted to survive this stab wound she would need immediate help from a healer and she'd have to slow her heart rate by calming down but at this moment she couldn't stop. Her heart was slamming in her ribs, the blood was pumping down her stomach below the silk.

"Get down Rin!" she saw her monster leap from the forest, it was Sesshomaru, but her body fell into the snow as she tried to calm her heart, the men behind her screamed.

* * *

"Have mercy!" one of them screamed, Sesshomaru's venomous jaws snapped over his body and he shook his head ripping the human in half. The other three all scrambled away and Sesshomaru's lips curled back as he stood over Rin, her scent of blood and death was killing him and so he let the venomous acid of his poison drip onto the snow. The other three men scrambled back.

This wouldn't take long, he decided as he lunged for them with a thunderous growl which had the birds trying to take refuge in the sky and the men screaming like pigs to the slaughter.

"Rin!" he shifted into humanoid form and hurried over to Rin leaving a bloodied mess of mangled carcasses behind him. He turned her over, there was a thin line of blood trickling from her lips, she smiled weakly to him.

"You came," she breathed, he noted that both her hands were tightly clasped over her wound. He peeled them away carefully. Fuck! He had to get her help and he had no idea where to go.

"Rin," he pleaded, she just whimpered a bit when he slid his arm under her knees to lift her, and carefully he slid the other arm under her shoulders.

"The well, take me to the well," Rin said through gritted teeth and he just stared at her as he felt blood sliding from the wound in her back. He nodded and then enveloped them in light to fly for the well. His hatred for those men and the humans planted in his heart and taking root; what kind of scum harmed a female seeking help. Sesshomaru would love to have slaughtered those men slower and more painfully but Rin took precedence over those men.

* * *

InuTaisho stood looking over the compound when he scented her metallic blood. Turning his head he landing in the snow. The red, Rin, he ran after the trail she left his heart slamming in his ribs with fear for his daughter-in-law. She couldn't be dead, but he scented death. Following her blood he found a clearing stained red, four distinct bodies were strewn about and shredded, Sesshomaru's scent and venom was burning the air. Instinctively he covered his nose so as not to inhale his son's toxic venom so he did not die.

Where was Rin?

Her scent just seemed to vanish at this point. Where would Sesshomaru take her? Where would she want to go?

He didn't know as he frantically began seeking out Rin's translucent scent again praying to all that was holy that she was not dead or worse. He didn't want to lose her! He couldn't let Sesshomaru lose her.

* * *

"Speak to me Rin, keep your eyes open!" Sesshomaru barked the order sharply and desperately as he raced around the inuyōkai defenses towards the well she wanted to go to.

"You have the prettiest eyes," she whispered, his heart sunk as he ran faster.

* * *

**One More Chapter Tonight! After I walk my Baby (my English Mastiff, he's my baby and adorable and again his name is not Baby) I'll get back to writing!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	164. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 45

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Assassination:** _The Act of Assassinating; killing by treacherous violence…_

* * *

**Chapter 45**

He stopped at the well and cradled her body tightly to his. Her breath hitched and he just stared at the well. His body was following his mind's commands of dropping her into the well, she gasped in pain again and he looked down to her as the blood slipped from her lips.

"Let me go Sesshomaru, I have…" she coughed blood into his chest as she released a shaky breath. "I have to…go back," she panted desperately as she looked to him with bleary dark eyes.

"I can't let you go," Sesshomaru admitted as he stood there with the icy air whipping around him. She smiled weakly and his heart twisted painfully.

"My lord… he's you, and… if you let me go… you… you can save me…" she gasped and he stared dumbly down at that little human woman. "We… we meet again… promise. I'll be… I'll be waiting… Sesshomaru, just… let me go… you alredy… save me. I'll be… here for you," she whispered and he stared at her.

"I can't let you go, Rin," he said through clenched fangs. He could not let her go, then he would never see her again. Rin's bloodied fingers reached up as she turned his jaw so he looked down at her. She had a soft smile on her blood stained lips.

"I'm always… with you… promise. But… to save me… you have to… you have to… let me go," she sighed and grimaced. He just stared at her as he carefully stepped towards the well then.

"Rin," he whispered her name softly, her bleary eyes focused on him again. "I belong to you," he promised her. She smiled.

"I know… and I… belong to… you," she whispered. He carefully released her.

There was a glow, and he watched her smiling form disappear as the cosmos appeared and she was gone. He fell by the well and felt like his world had shattered.

* * *

She was falling, Rin remembered that as she watched Sesshomaru's amber eyes; hard and filled with anguish disappear from her sight. Focusing past her pain on her breathing Rin tried not lose herself as she felt her body being weightless. Slowing her heart and calming her mind she felt the pulsing pain of her wound as she watched the stars around her.

Where was she going now? She wondered briefly as she fell past the abys.

Wherever it was she hoped to see Sesshomaru again. She still needed him, loved him and hoped for the best with him. But her heart was aching as her eyes fluttered shut and her body obtain weight. Gently her back was pressed on the dirt floor of the well. Rin's eyes never opened as she fought and struggled to breath.

"_**AAHH! THERE'S A LADY IN THE WELL!**_" a voice screamed.

* * *

Sesshomaru stood there staring down the well and his heart was missing as he stood there in the searing cold. His temper rose and he spun around. Snarling he started towards Setsuna, Takemaru's scent had been all over Rin's body, her wound and he would suffer at this Sesshomaru's claws if it was to be the last thing he did. Takemaru would know his wrath and pain.

Lunging into his true form he ran for Setsuna when his father crashed into him. The giant dogs leapt apart. Sesshomaru lunged for his father's throat, InuTaisho evaded him and Sesshomaru circled his father. His hackles rising as his lips curled back to reveal his venom and his fangs. This was war, he would not permit that human to live! That human would die for hurting Rin.

_**Enough Sesshomaru!**_ His father snarled.

_**No, he will die for harming Rin!**_ Sesshomaru snapped his jaws as his ears flattened and his head lowered to attack. He would not let his father let Takemaru get away from him this time. Takemaru would be a dead human, and if he had to kill his father in the process then so be it. His father came at him. Knocking him onto his back, Sesshomaru's jaws snapped trying to get his father's throat but as they tumbled down the hill he knew he wasn't going to kill his father.

However his father sure as hell was not walking away from this fight unscathed. His father's jaws latched onto his scruff, Sesshomaru twisted his body rolling them both over and then he rolled to his feet yanking his scruff from his father's jaws. InuTaisho was on his feet snarling to, red eyes glared mercilessly at one another and Sesshomaru charged again. His aim was his father's hind legs to snap a few tendons, his father wasn't expecting this but his father bit his shoulder when a third dog joined the fight slamming into the two of them.

Sesshomaru shifted into humanoid form with his claws dripping with poison.

InuTaisho held Sō'unga ready to continue their fight.

But both of them stiffened as the snow cleared to reveal who their intruder was.

InuKimi stood there and her amber eyes were violent as she stood there glaring at them both.

"That is enough!" she snapped. "Make one more move to kill each other and I'll kill you both! This is not how the heads of the Inuyōkai Clan should be acting! Now that is enough. Sesshomaru, I am sorry for you beloved person, but you cannot kill a human lord because he tried to kill you beloved person. And InuTaisho! I expect better than that from you, enough now, and put Sō'unga away before I take him from you and slay you both."

"Takemaru is off limits, Sesshomaru," his father growled lowly as he sheathed Sō'unga then.

Sesshomaru did not respond as his lips curled back in another snarl. Takemaru would die at his claws if it was the last thing he ever did.

"And there was no way of either of us knowing about Takemaru attacking her! Also, Takemaru is my prey!" InuTaisho shouted at him.

"Hn," Sesshomaru growled as he stalked off. There was no way to rebut his mother's orders, she would not be disobeyed however, if the opportunity presented itself he would make his father suffer the way he had by losing Rin, his father would know his pain. And if that meant leaving Izayoi to the clutches of Takemaru then so be it! But his father would suffer!

* * *

Bakusaiga pulsed where it lay in Rin's blood, it glowed green and then it disappeared leaving only an impression in the bloodstained snow.

* * *

**More chapters to come tomorrow! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	165. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 46

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Confront:** _To Stand Facing or in Front of; to face hostility; to oppose with firmness…_

* * *

**Chapter 46**

InuTaisho felt Sesshomaru harden, become more distant, ruthless, merciless, and more foul tempered. He had nearly killed Chieko and Fumio in a partners duel against him, he had damn near slaughtered five other inuyōkai guards, and he had begun being absent to the point where he did not even return at night. InuKimi did not say anything to him but InuTaisho felt that by keeping his promise to Rin, and not permitting Sesshomaru his rightful revenge he had forever lost and enraged his son.

There was something more threatening about Sesshomaru now, something which had clearly died when he had let Rin go. How was Sesshomaru supposed to use Tenseiga if he had lost that fragile compassion he had held? InuTaisho did not understand why Rin had said that the Tenseiga should go to Sesshomaru when the Tenseiga needed someone with compassion to wield it. Sighing he looked up to trees where Sesshomaru was perched looking in the direction of the well. Sesshomaru's gold eyes narrowed on him, InuTaisho held Sesshomaru's gaze but then he looked away, Sesshomaru enveloped himself in light and flew away.

He still wanted to see Izayoi but with the way Sesshomaru appeared to be watching him he hadn't been able to and the lunar eclipse was coming within the next two days. He had to make certain his plans would be in action and in place so that everything Rin claimed to come to pass could come to pass.

InuTaisho would trust Rin, for Rin had no desire or reason to lead him astray. And it was only a matter of time before Sesshomaru killed Takemaru like he craved to do. But not now, it would take several centuries but InuTaisho could rest easy knowing that Sesshomaru would obtain his revenge. Just not right now. Right now, it would be his turn for revenge, for death, for exacting a pain he had yet to experience onto the killer of his mate and daughter-in-law.

But first was to be the sealing of Ryūkotsusei before he could avenge his mate, sons, and Rin. And that was a most terrifying matter to him as he stood there looking where his heir had been. Perhaps in time he would be able to obtain Sesshomaru's forgiveness, just not now. And his son would endure much more pain to come and much more sorrows ahead of him.

"He will understand, one day," InuKimi said softly and he turned to the female who had been his greatest help these past few days.

"I just wish he would understand today," he admitted and InuKimi sighed as she turned him to face her.

"I put my faith in Rin, besides; she is the most stubborn, determined, and reckless creature I have ever met, she will be fine. Just not right now, give it time. One day everything will be understood and forgiven, but until then, we will just have to muddle through this together for if one woman could understand my son then there is hope that we can come to understand him too," InuKimi said firmly.

"I hope you are right, InuKimi, I hope you're right," he murmured.

"I am right, I am always right, now get ready for you meeting with Ryūkotsusei and the birth of your second son," InuKimi ordered him as she walked away from him. He watched her go and sighed. He had broken the heart of a good woman and he knew it, somehow though he could not find it in him to regret having tried to love her.

* * *

Sesshomaru just stood on the lip of the well, and stared down the well; Kami knew he had jumped up and down this damn well to try to jump after Rin. She was gone though and he was here, alone. Everything in him had withdrawn the moment he had realized that he was all alone and there was no guarantee that he would ever see her again. He didn't want to miss her but there was a painful ache in his chest as he stood there staring down the well.

Rin was gone.

And it was killing him. He did not wish to be alone but he was alone all the same. Sesshomaru did not want to be alone but alone he was, and he was going to kill his father for permitting him to be alone without having the satisfaction of killing Takemaru. Something which had him itching to slaughter his own father. But he could, not with his mother standing guard over InuTaisho. Though he was more powerful than his mother, he would never dare to attack his mother. It would not end well, he knew that because despite his mother's delicate and elegant appearance she was the most formidable bitch in the inuyōkai clan.

InuKimi was the most powerful and dangerous bitch in the clan for a reason and it was also the reason his mother was head mistress of the inuyōkai clan. Still, he wanted to murder his father for standing between him and his desire prey. He snarled a bit and closed his eyes, her smile haunted him as had those eyes.

He could see her eyes shining with unwavering love and trust, something no other creature in his life had given him. No one could ever love the monster he was at heart, and he knew it so the fact he had had one woman; a human woman who had loved him, monster and all he couldn't let her go.

His breath hitched as he stood there and he let his eyes open to stare into the abys of what had been. The one connection to Rin he had been able to keep, and he fisted his hands. He wanted her back, he needed her back but he would have to wait for her. She had promised to return to him, she had promised him that they'd be together and he couldn't help but feel that she would come back to him. Perhaps not now, but perhaps someday.

* * *

**You ever watch those childhood movies after years of not watching it and then you watch it again and see the brilliance of some of the humor you didn't get when you were little? Well I'm seeing some of it! Eddie Murphy is brilliant! I haven't watched Mulan for years but I'm dying of laughter at the moment!  
**

**There's possibly a few more updates depending on my caffeine tonight... oh and my movie supply too.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	166. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 47

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyash **

* * *

**Confront:** _To Stand Facing or in Front of; to face hostility; to oppose with firmness…_

* * *

**Chapter 47**

It was the day of the lunar eclipse, he knew that was tonight and as he stood there at the edge of dragon territory and then he sighed as he shifted into his true form because he was not so fool as to talk to Ryūkotsusei in his humanoid form. Prowling into the territory he walked towards valley of Ryūkotsusei to walk into a fight. There had been no way he had been able to talk Sesshomaru into coming with him, Sesshomaru had nearly snapped his hand off if InuKimi hadn't appeared just then to snap at him.

InuTaisho did not understand the hold his friend held over their son but InuKimi was the only inuyōkai in the entire clan whom Sesshomaru respected and listened to. Not completely but still, InuKimi received more respect than anyone else. Perhaps it was because InuKimi had respected Rin from the start, or perhaps it was because she was his mother; but for whatever reason InuKimi held her son's respect. He had hopes to hold his son's respect but now he knew, he never would have Sesshomaru's respect because of this.

Not that it would matter.

He was to die tonight after saving Izayoi and Inuyasha. He knew it as he walked up to Ryūkotsusei's valley. Rin had stated this to be fact and he was alright with it as he walked towards his impending death despite Sō'unga's wishes. He knew the sword wanted to have him live and continue his bloodshed upon the world. But it simply was not going to happen, Saya and Sō'unga would be going down the well after Rin to whatever time it would hide in until it was brought back to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha to be destroyed.

That was a comforting thought to him but it was a thought which had Sō'unga fighting his every command and strike, his every move and thought. InuTaisho knew the bloodthirsty sword felt like living and fighting more, but he would not permit the sword to give him thoughts of escaping his fate. He would die in a battle to save his mate and pup, there was no more honorable death for him to receive. Even in his clan that was a death held in the highest of honors. Despite Izayoi being a human and Inuyasha being a hanyō he would be honored for his bravery of defending them and avenging. He knew this.

And he understood Sesshomaru's pain in this matter because avenging a mate was a matter of honor and he was denying Sesshomaru his right. However, that would be amended in the near-far future for his son. For now Sesshomaru would have to live with this.

"Ryūkotsusei!" He roared into the chasm and he saw the coils of Ryūkotsusei move as the massive, and ill scenting dragon lifted himself out of the abys. Sesshomaru's poison had done a real number on the mightiest of the dragon tribe.

"Inu no Taisho, where is your son; Sesshomaru?" Ryūkotsusei snarled.

"This matter will be settled between you and me, leave my son out of it," InuTaisho declared boldly.

"Then you will die in your son's place!" the dragon snapped and he came at InuTaisho with opened jaws, the dog leapt from the dragon and went for the dragon's throat then.

* * *

"Where's Rin!?" Izayoi demanded again when a guard brought her food.

"Gone, dead, she will never be seen again and that is for the best," her eyes snapped up to Takemaru then as he stood there glaring down at her.

"What!?" Izayoi gasped.

"Yes, I dispatched her to the netherworld myself," Takemaru informed her. Izayoi just slapped her hand over her mouth so she didn't scream in agony at this news. Rin couldn't be dead! She was too strong, too stubborn, there was no way she would be killed by Takemaru after she had tried to slay a dragon. A woman who was mated to a daiyōkai and fought dragons did not die at the hands of a man! She refused to believe that because she was Rin. Rin was not going to let Takemaru kill her! But at the same time there was a clear truth in Takemaru's words which had her fighting back her tears.

"She can't be dead," Izayoi finally said firmly.

"Oh, but she is, I saw her eyes lose their light myself as I stabbed her heart," Takemaru informed her as he came to loom over her. Izayoi then stealed her resolve.

"Then you should know that Rin will come back to kill you for this atrocity, and if you harm me or my baby InuTaisho will rip you apart limb by limb!" Izayoi snapped believing it. She hoped to all which was holy that Rin could come back to haunt Takemaru. Rin was just that kind of person, if she so chose she could and would inflict a world of hell upon Takemaru.

"I do not think it will matter Izayoi. You see, I fully intend to be rid of that monster growing within you the moment it is out of you. But you will birth only after I have killed your InuTaisho because you are not due for another cycle according to my sources and the healers. After they are both dead you will wed me, and then you will be mine. I have no intentions of killing or harming Izayoi, just those demons you claim to love," Takemaru stated icily. Izayoi felt a crippling pain stab her lower abdomen which she hid as she glared at him.

"You will not kill InuTaisho, he will obliterate you. He's the strongest inuyōkai there is, there is no way you can defeat him!" Izayoi snapped. The searing pain continued rolling through her and she knew then that she was going to be having her baby tonight whether she wanted to or not. And as Takemaru's left her she leaned forward to bite her lip, kami did this hurt!

She had to leave, tonight! She couldn't let Takemaru kill her baby!

* * *

**More Updates to come today! I intend to have Part IV: A Return to Tomorrow finished by the tenth of my wonderful month! I just love November, and it has very little to do with being a Scorpio, and I have plans so you'll have to deal with my iffy updates after this, I'll become more reliable come December.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	167. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 48

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Confront:** _To Stand Facing or in Front of; to face hostility; to oppose with firmness…_

* * *

**Chapter 48**

The battle had been gruling but when he had stabbed Ryūkotsusei just over the heart and broke off his claw he knew he had sealed the beast away, but at the cost of his weakened state and later his life. The gaping wounds on his sides beneath his humanoid form's armor were bleeding profoundly and he stumbled to the shore.

"Master! Master!" he looked as he was then pinched on his cheek. He slapped the irritation sucking the blood from his body when he was already losing so much of it.

"Myoga, what is it?" InuTaisho asked as he again looked out over the ocean, the waves crashed and recieded and the winter's winds slashed through his form chilling him to the bone. The flea hopped on his shoulder then.

"The human, Izayoi, she's in labor! And Takemaru readies his armies!" Myoga informed him. He stiffened, it was strange to him that Rin had said this would happen but up until this point he hadn't actually thought that this was what was actually going to happen. But now that it was he could only feel a numbing sort of pain as the blood slid down his arm and dripped onto the sand of the shore. Of course this would be happening as Rin said, she had never lied to him even when she could've.

Rin was an honest woman and it had cost her, now she was gone and he was here confronting his destiny. A destiny which he had secretly hoped to be nothing but the ramblings of one girl but it appeared that that woman had not been lying as he had secretly hoped.

"I'll go to her," he said firmly and the scented Sesshomaru approaching from behind him. He stiffened but he stood utterly still as he listened to his son's boots crunch against the cold sand as the winter's winds continued to scream around them. So this was the end, he mused, and it was happening exactly how Rin had said. If he ever met up with Rin again he made a mental not to thank her for being honest with him but to also yell at her for being too honest with him. At least he knew that if everything was happening how she claimed it was to happen then there was hope for his son to meet up with her again.

All he wanted now was the happiness of his sons, even at the cost of his own life. He wondered if that was what InuKimi wanted, he hoped it was because he had left it in his will what she was do based on what Rin had told him.

"Sesshomaru," he greeted his eldest son without turning around.

"Father," Sesshomaru hard, emotionless voice replied icily. And thus began his end, he mused as he stood there feeling the wind and scenting Myoga's anxiety over this situation.

* * *

The pain had her screaming and clutching her stomach. Something was wrong, something had to be wrong, her baby should not be acting this way, she should not be in this much pain. But it seemed irrelevant what should be as her head again fell back and her body was seized by another contraction. The pain was ripping her apart, splitting her in half, and she felt like dying it hurt so much. Finally the pain receded for a moment, she wanted InuTaisho, she wanted him to hold her and be here with her. She didn't want to endure this all alone.

InuKimi stood there alone looking at the start of the lunar eclipse.

"Beautiful and heart wrenching is it not?" she turned at that voice and looked at a three tailed kitsune walking towards her.

"What can I do for you, Masaru?" she asked and the silver fox grinned.

"Many things, my lady, many things, however I am here under the orders of Mikadzuki-sama and have come with news for you," Masaru informed her.

"Oh, is that so?" she asked in a coy tone as she examined the silver fox who then stood beside her. He smiled that fox smile of his which had her remaining impassive before she throttled this damn kitsune. He was so maddening at times that she desired nothing more than to be rid of his irritating presence but she had respect for whoever Mikadzuki was so she would not throttle the kitsune. Still, she desired to do just that when he was standing there grinning like he was king of the world.

"Yes, you are concerned for the Rin girl, are you not?"

She did not bother to answer that as her eyes narrowed.

"Well I have been instructed to tell you a few things…" Masaru started and her interest peeked.

* * *

Her screams pained him but tonight had come as a surprise to him. After Izayoi had started her pained screams he had ordered the men to prepare for a battle. This would not be pretty and he had no doubt that once this InuTaisho noticed Izayoi was in labor with his child he'd appear. That would be the perfect time to slay him.

It also helped that tonight was the night of a lunar eclipse; a perfect night to slay a demon from the netherworld. InuTaisho would not get to claim her.

"InuTaisho!" Izayoi's voice cried out and he stiffened upon hearing it. It was everything he had dreaded to hear as he looked over his shoulder towards her quarters as he pulled on his armor. He knew, he knew in that one cry that he would never be able to obtain her or her heart like he craved to have. He had always wanted Izayoi's love and affections as more than a friend but it appeared that he would not be able to obtain them. It broke his heart but it also steeled his resolve as continued to get ready. Tonight they would all die, himself included.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	168. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 49

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Confront:** _To Stand Facing or in Front of; to face hostility; to oppose with firmness…_

* * *

**Chapter 49**

His blood slipped down his fingrs, past his claws onto the sand as the snow swirled around him and the waves pounded the shore. He knew what his son was going to ask of him, he knew it even before Sesshomaru had opened his mouth. And he knew because he had been asking himself the same thing since he had demanded to know all which was to come from Rin.

"Father, do you insist on going?" Sesshomaru's voice demanded and he felt a pang in his chest as he thought his answer over carefully.

"Do you intend to stop me, Sesshomaru?" he asked in a harder and colder voice than his son's. he knew what his son would say, he knew it before his son even said it and he did not need Rin's words in his mind to know.

"I will not stand in your way," Sesshomaru answered and that was the most compassion InuTaisho had heard in his son's voice since he had let Rin go down the well. "However," Sesshomaru's voice hardened again. "Before you go, you must entrust the swords Sō'unga and Tetsusaiga to me."

Why was he not surprised?

"And if I refuse? Will you kill me, your own father?" he asked knowing that was what Sesshomaru craved to do. But there was a faint hope residing in him that his son would not just kill him now as he craved. That perhaps Sesshomaru could have a little compassion but he knew it wouldn't be there because Rin was not here and that was his fault. The wind grew stronger as he waited for an answer but he knew the answer already. And Rin had never spoken of this confrontation at this moment. Perhaps the young woman had not known about this confrontation. But he was only greeted by his son's silence, and hostility.

InuTaisho sighed as he closed his eyes to continue with interrogating Sesshomaru, hoping that his compassion had not really disappear,

"Do you desire power so much? Why do you seek power, my son?" InuTaisho asked knowing his son would lie to him about the reasons. But he would hope for the truth.

"The path I walk is the way of supreme conquest, and it is power that will reveal the way for me." Sesshomaru stated and again InuTaisho sighed. So his son would not admit to the hope he held of Rin returning to him. But it was not his place to tell his son he knew he was lying.

"Supreme conquest? Tell me, Sesshomaru, have you someone to protect?" InuTaisho demanded losing his minimal patience because he knew Sesshomaru was now lying not only to him but to himself as well. Perhaps Rin would change that again.

"Protect?" Sesshomaru said the word with so much contempt that InuTaisho knew his son would only ever return to being his son when Rin returned to his life.

"The answer is no. I, Sesshomaru, have no need of such." And InuTaisho almost believed him with the conviction with which his son spoke. But he knew it was a lie, they all knew it was a lie. And InuTaisho could not take it anymore as he shifted forms and ran then with Myoga clinging to him.

* * *

Steeling his resolve in his decision for them all to die tonight he then started towards Izayoi where she was crying and trying to give birth to that monster's child. He encountered a maid and he did not remember the confrontation but he did remember killing the wench for trying to stop him.

* * *

His father's question rang in his head and his anger boiled dangerously. He hoped his father died tonight! He hoped InuTaisho suffered the fate of losing everything like he had so he could understand the pain of losing everything. Then again this was his father and InuTaisho was not likely to lose anyone or anything ever.

"Why would I have any reason to waste my time protecting someone? Ridiculous," Sesshomaru hiss. Especially since his father knew everything which had transpired these past few weeks. He did not like thinking about how he had failed Rin in her safety. Never again would Sesshomaru protect another, he did not wish to lose them and he'd rather lose his arm than endure this brand of loss again. Turning he started stalking away to seek a refuge away from the inuyōkai clan but so he could stay near the well as well. The two headed dragon was waiting for him in the near forestry; he would keep Rin's gift to him.

* * *

"Please Master! I beg you not to be so rash!" Myoga sobbed as he clung to is fur but it only furthered his determination. "You must reoconsider, my lord! The wounds from your battle with Ryūkotsusei have not yet healed! This is sheer madness!"

He knew it but did the flea really thing it mattered?

"That doesn't matter," he huffed as he continued running feeling the blood pumped out of his body. "I cannot afford to lose her!" now he knew how his son had felt, the desperation for the other to live, but unlike Rin Izayoi did not have the well to rely on to live.

"Please my lord!" Myoga sobbed.

"Besides, I am not long for this world," he grumbled. Rin's words ringing through his mind.

"Master!" the flea cried and he knew Rin was right then. He hadn't expected that but somehow it did not surprise him that that little human woman would be right. Kami did he hope she was alright wherever she had wanted to go. Perhaps he would see her again, perhaps he would get to see his son Inuyasha, and hopefully Tenseiga would work so he could save Izayoi as Rin said he did. He could not stop running though as he focused on getting through the forest towards Setsuna. He could not fail Rin, he could not alter his fate or his coming death but he could not fail Rin or Izayoi!

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	169. A Retrun to Tomorrow: Chapter 50

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Confront:** _To Stand Facing or in Front of; to face hostility; to oppose with firmness…_

* * *

**Chapter 50**

Takemaru walked the walkway towards Izayoi. He could hear her, he could almost feel her and yet he ignored all of that as he turned to look to the skies. It was the night of the lunar eclipse, an excellent night to slay an inu daiyōkai and a hanyō monster being brought into this world. Sliding the door open to Izayoi's quarters he walked into the birthing quarters, he was going to kill her tonight, end her disgrace and suffering and he'd kill the monster she was birthing so she would not have to endure the horrors of it all. Then he'd kill her lover, the lover who had tainted his love, the only love of his life before he killed himself.

Everyone one would die tonight.

* * *

The pain had her laying down and panting catching her breath, she could feel her child's head there, right there between her legs but as she lay there panting she didn't have the strength. She just did not have the strength to push again, to endure another mind numbing contraction, to try to push her baby out of her as she lay there trying to breathe again. A shadow fell across her and she heard the movement of armor.

"Who is it?" she rasped hoping vainly for it to be InuTaisho here to take her away. He had been away from her for so long that she craved to see him again, to have him hold her again. But she did not think it was InuTaisho here.

"It is I, Setsuna no Takemaru," he answered and her heart sunk but she would try again to save her childhood friend. She did not wish him to die despite all of his recent cruelties to her.

"Takemaru," she breathed his name and it still tasted foul on her tongue. "Thank goodness you have arrived," she lied. But she could lie if it were to save him and the men here. Perhaps there was still hope for them if he could leave her and InuTaisho could take her away. She just wanted to live a long and quiet life with her child, and her mate. "You must gather the men standing guard outside and leave the grounds at once. Please do as I say. I fear there is no one who is strong enough to challenge him."

Please, her mind pleaded, please do not make him a fool.

"My lady, I have long felt a deep connection with you, as I'm sure you are aware. Even though I realized full well that your heart has been captured by an inuyōkai." He snarled, she heard him moving, lifting something and she felt another contraction as her body again began pushing her baby out of her body.

There was a stabbing pain in her lower chest which had her screaming as she fell back and her baby's head was out of her birth canal then. Gasping for air she turned her head to look out at the room, another contraction was building despite the pain of the spear she was looking at in her chest. Gasping for air she tried to fight back the contraction but it didn't work. Her body convulsed again as again she started pushing, her own hands grabbed the spear and she pulled it out as the contraction rolled through her body.

The baby slid out of her, she felt it as she fell back, the blood pumping out of her body as she lay there. There was a cry and carefully she pushed herself up. There was a little silver haired, dog eared, human looking baby boy laying between her legs screaming and sobbing. Weakly she lifted the child against her bloodied bosom.

"InuTaisho, he's coming, just hang in there," she whispered to her baby boy who was crying. Before she could stop her world wavered and then her eyes fluttered shut as oblivion took over her.

* * *

InuTaisho came running towards Setsuna he was pleading for Izayoi to stay alive until he got there. It was time to test out Tetsuseiga, a sword he hadn't really used and tonight he would be putting his faith in Tenseiga to save Izayoi. He made it to the outer gates of Setsuna, his fingers closed around the hilt of Tetsuseiga then as the sword elongated and grew heavily in his own hands.

"Wind scar!" he roared hoping to just this once utilize the heavy power of his own fang. The explosion was magnificent as he watched the humans fly in the air screaming uselessly as he ran forward. Arrows pierced his skin but it didn't matter as againt he slashed his fang and sent the pests flying. He ran into the courtyard then.

"Izayoi! Izayoi!" he shouted for her as he looked around scenting the air frantically. Her blood was a scent he caught immediately. His heart twisted and stopped as he looked around for the direction which it came from.

"At last, you've come, inuyōkai," a man said but InuTaisho was ignoring him as he searched for Izayoi in the rubble. But the scent of her blood had him looking to this man now. "A little late though."

"What?" he asked that last part catching his attention.

"Lady Izayoi is beyond your reach now. I dispatched her myself." The human sounded proud and he recognized this human, this was Izayoi's friend Takemaru.

"Damn you, fool!" he roared as he rushed forward. He was vaguely aware of the human drawing his blade but it wasn't important as he surged past the human scenting blood and pain. Izayoi was in there! He had to get to her before it was too late! He could not lose her, he now understood the desperation his eldest son had felt. There were flames now but it did not matter as he continued looking for her, shoving down walls and running through the doors.

"Izayoi!" he shouted, perhaps she would answer him. All he heard was the cry of a babe and he knew to follow it. That was Inuyasha, Rin's very dear friend and his second son. He shoved his way into a room, there was a small tent set up and he threw it off of her. "Izayoi," her name was a painful plea off of his lips.

The pup was crying in his mother's arms and he stared at the pup for a moment. He looked like Izayoi and him, he was a beautiful child and his heart ached knowing he'd never know this son of is. Still, he had more pressing matters as he drew the Tenseiga which contained two pieces of his soul for this very purpose. Retrieving two human women's souls from the netherworld.

Tenseiga pulsed then.

"Carry out my will, Tenseiga," he pleaded as he sliced through the minions of the netherworld who were gathering around his mate.

Izayoi moaned and his heart stopped with relief as he sheathed the fang and hurried around his delicate mate to lift her out of her blood. He reached into his armor and pulled out one of his favorite kimonos and a gift from InuKimi for his second son.

His head turned when he scented the human intruder again. Now he drew Sō'unga and felt it's power swirl with his rage directed at Takemaru as he stood as a shield between Izayoi and her once good friend Takemaru. The human was babbling nonsense and his attention was still focused on Izayoi and his son Inuyasha.

"Live long," he ordered her. "Inuyasha, the pup's name will be Inuyasha. Now go!"

Izayoi ran and he lunged for the human then. At least she and Inuyasha were safe, that was all which mattered to him as his mate ran from the burning compound.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	170. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 51

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Understand:** _To Know How (Someone) Thinks, Feels, or Behaves…_

* * *

**Chapter 51**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"Inuyasha!" Sesshomaru snapped when his brother started growling at his own arrival to his own mother's home had his brother's ears flattening then and Sesshomaru walked past the annoying hanyō. He was here to talk to his mother when his attention turned and he looked at the arrival of many bat yōkai.

"Shiori," he acknowledged as he stood there. The small girl walked up towards him in her formal wear. He was not a particularly rude to Shiori but he was not pleasant to the young hanyō and clan head of the bat yōkai. Shiori was more of Rin's friend if she was anyone's friend. His mother had helped young Shiori take over her clan and taught her how to lead. She had been in lessons with Rin when Rin had been in InuKimi's care.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Shiori bowed to him then looked up to him with large purple eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her coldly and he noted the way his brother was standing beside him looking at the young hanyō.

"Inuyasha! It's nice to see you! Rin says you mated that miko!" Shiori smiled and Sesshomaru refrained from snarling at the girl to stop the small talk.

"Shiori! You grew up!" Inuyasha looked stunned.

"Yes, and I have some other friends of ours, you remember Asagi, Ai, Dai, Moegi, Roku, and my mate Shion," Shiori said as she introduced the other hanyōs with her. Sesshomaru just refrained from snapping at her to get to the point and to stop her small talk. But he didn't snap at her because he had his mother to talk to before he joined the Yōkai Forces gathering in Edo. He had left Sōten and Shippo in charged because they were his 'generals' and advisors at this time.

Besides, if Sōten could best Inuyasha and his crew when she had been a child with nothing more than wit and Ryūkotsusei's grandson Koryū then he had more than enough faith in her abilities now. She was a force who would be of the greatest aid to him. And if she continued being as brilliant as her childhood had then he had hopes of obtaining a very dangerous strategical general. Also, Shippo was another cunning mind he did not mind using to help with his intended plans.

"Anyway, we have come, and I bring the entire force of my clan and the hanyō refugees I've taken in, to aid you in the war Sesshomaru-sama." He looked to the forces standing behind the young bat hanyō and noted they were formidable.

"Edo," was all he said as he walked away to find his mother because he had need to speak with her. He did not care about this war; it was nothing but a cover for the real plans he'd have in play. Everyone in the Yōkai Forces knew this, and he was not going to be so much a fool as to repeat his father's mistakes. This was a losing battle either way, so why fight it when there were better things to do in life. He could think of several things he'd rather do, like seeking out the most powerful yōkai to battle and destroy.

It was proof of his strength and how much better he was than his father who had failed where he would succeed.

"Thank you Sesshomaru-sama, and have you seen Rin? I would like to speak with her about Shion," Shiori said softly and he glared at the white haired girl over his shoulder as he continued walking away from them to find his mother before he really lost his temper and killed everyone around him. They always asked that question and it always managed to slice through his defenses and pain him. Something which he did not like dealing with. He did not like knowing that this Rin had leapt down the well to start all of these catastrophes to come.

"Rin's missing," was all he heard his brother say as he walked down the hall. He followed InuKimi's scent and noticed Kagome's scent with his mother's. Internally he snarled as he approached but he focused on remaining indifferent to his turbulent emotions.

"Sesshomaru," he looked at his mother who walked out a room.

"Mother, what are you doing?" Sesshomaru asked her. His mother's hands disappeared within her sleeves.

"Shedding a moment of clarity on a very nosy miko demanding the release of my daughter-in-law from my son's claim," InuKimi answered and he lifted a brow noting her missing Meidostone. However he did not say anything about the matter as he stood there with her. "You desire to know more about the whereabouts of your beloved person do you not?"

"Hn," was his answer because to outright say what he wanted would give his mother true leverage over him. That simply would not be acceptable to him. However his mother did have the answers he needed because he did not think he could go through several more centuries of solitude after having had Rin in his life for eight years. Now he was to be alone again and he didn't know how long he could tolerate being alone again.

Being a loner was one thing but to be alone as if there was nothing tethering him to this world was the most desolate feeling to have.

"No, I have no idea when Rin will reappear, I wish I did," InuKimi said softly. His eyes flicked to the ground then he turned to leave his mother alone.

"Sesshomaru, she'll be alright, she's strong, she won't break, she's never broken before, and she'll be back before you know it," his mother called after him. He said nothing as he continued walking away. He enveloped himself in light again and then he was streaking towards the well. His heart was twisting painfully in his chest. Landing on the lip of the well he stared down it and then there was an unsightly brilliant green glow in his left hand. His eyes widened as a familiar weight materialized in hand, a weight he hadn't felt for the past cycle.

Bakusaiga.

He pulled the blade from it's ivory scabbard, and instead of staring at the customary silver blade and was greeted by an ebony blade which was pulsing with a dangerous aura.

What had happened to Bakusaiga? And where had all this power come from?

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	171. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 52

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Understand:** _To Know How (Someone) Thinks, Feels, or Behaves…_

* * *

**Chapter 52**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"I can't believe Sesshomaru-sama left you in charge!" her orange companion whined and she chuckled as she walked. It was strange but she and Shippo did not share any animosity to one another despite what their families had done to one another. Her brothers were monsters, she would not defend them or honor them when they had neglected her.

His family had been innocent, their only crime was having something her monstrous brothers wanted and not handing it over when they demanded for it. And she had tried to avenge them because like it or not they had been her family and after meeting Shippo she had decided that they really weren't worth it.

"I can, you are nothing but trouble and the Yōkai Forces would leave us high and dry if he were to leave you in charge!" she argued as she walked through their growing forces' campsite. There had been many yōkai coming out of the woodwork to join in on their grand scheme a scheme which Sesshomaru-sama had entrusted to her and her number one sidekick and best friend Koryū.

"And what are you!?"

"I'm an angel from the heavens," she said innocently as she tossed her raven locks over her shoulder and batted her lashes. She had grown past her tomboy stage and knew how to utilize her femininity to some minor degrees now. Her figure was trim, her breasts were a good size, not so huge they were problems for her armor but enough so it appeared she was a least female, long legs, and her face had softened a bit over her puberty years. Full lips, ruby red eyes, high cheek bones, and a pert nose, even Sōten had to admit she had grown into her looks. And the best part was that Shippo noticed, she knew he noticed from the way he reacted to her.

"As if!" Shippo snapped, she laughed as she walked on.

"He probably thinks you're just too easy to run over after living with Inuyasha and his pack," she said dismissively as she walked into her tent. Shippo followed her, his beautiful red tail swishing after him as he entered her tent. His tail was so beautiful and a dead giveaway as to her effects on him. She fell onto her bed and looked at him as she lounged about the pillows.

"That's a low blow Sōten," Shippo growled and she sighed.

"Well, it's the truth, think about it, who would Sesshomaru trust more? The thunder yōkai who's never traveled a day in her life or lived with humans? Or the kitsune who's not only traveled about but also consorted with humans who happen to be our enemy at this moment?" Sōten pointed out the points she felt were most vital to their conversation right now and left out the mysterious Rin aspect of his decision. Everyone seemed to be pestering the poor fellow about this Rin, and she didn't even know Rin so perhaps that had play in his decision too.

* * *

He couldn't think around her! It was maddening!

It was like when they had been kids but so much worse now, now that he had been around her for nearly two weeks nonstop and his instincts were all focused on that spot on the nape of her neck. It was that very spot which Rin was claimed, as was Kagome. And once when he had been a mere kit he had once felt the desire to claim one girl but he hadn't been with her long enough to act on the desires but now he had been fighting it for two weeks.

And he couldn't think as he watched her lips curve into a sly smile as she lounged upon many piles of pillows. The strangest part was there was no animosity between himself and Sōten after all their families had done to one another. He was the reason she was alone like her brothers were the reason she was alone. But it didn't ever seem to matter, he had always wanted this particular female even after years of not seeing her or interacting with her. Now she was lounging here with that devious smile on those lips and he so just wanted to grab her, mark her and be over this so he could just think a few rational thoughts without her plaguing his mind.

"I think Sesshomaru-sama trusts no one but Rin and that dragon of his," Shippo stated trying to think of the conversation they were having.

"Well, this Rin is not here, I am and I don't think he'd trust any of you with strategy when I bested you as a mere child with my plans and Koryū's aid. As my dear friend said, 'It's hard being the bad guy all the time' and it's by being the bad guy I am the best strategist ever!" she declared arrogantly. And he grabbed her then.

"Damnit!" he snarled and those ruby eyes of her widened before he kissed her, he couldn't stop himself as he pressed her back against the center post of the tent. Sōten just stiffened in shock but he couldn't help himself as his thumb pressed on her chin and pulled her mouth open. This particular female was driving him mad, and he wanted her to the point of dangerous distraction and obsession.

"You were never the bad guy, Sōten," he murmured as his lips traveled down her pulse to that spot which had been calling him.

"Shippo what are you doing?" she gasped.

"Claiming what's mine," he answered honestly and then his fangs dug into her flesh as claim. His internal yōkai leapt forth and surged into her, bonding with her, she resisted for a moment but this wouldn't be fun for him if she was easy to capture. Sōten gasped as her head fell back and he felt her slowly surrendering as he pulled away, the rush of her thoughts and emotions had him closing his eyes. Her memories filled him, the good, the bad, the funny, the entertainment, and the pain she had experienced.

"Shippo! What did you do?" Sōten gasped as he pulled away. He smiled at her. Finally everything in him was a calm and he could think again without being distracted.

"Thinking now, and Sesshomaru trusted with me so why not his army!?" he continued the argument and Sōten looked baffled for a moment before she snapped back. Finally he could think without her distracting her, he would continue to go about chasing her and wooing her but for now he'd think without distraction.

* * *

**Maybe another chapter tonight, if not then I'll be back tomorrow after the movie-thon I'm having!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	172. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 53

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Understand:** _To Know How (Someone) Thinks, Feels, or Behaves…_

* * *

**Chapter 53**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"When do you return to the Yōkai Forces?" Yuki asked him as they walked the gardens of InuKimi's grounds. She didn't know how to feel about having obtained Kohaku's desires when everyone spoke of Rin and all she meant to Kohaku and how everyone thought they were perfect for one another. Still, she was happy to have his affections on her instead of away from her.

He was such a handsome young man without scars marring his face like the man her brother had wanted to sell her to. His brown hair, brown eyes were soft and handsome, his face was that of a kind man and that dash of freckles on his nose charming. Yuki would admit she liked him, he was a very kind and handsome looking man.

"Tomorrow, Sesshomaru-sama has business to discuss with the inuyōkai council and his mother," Kohaku answered her as they walked.

"Oh, why am I here, Kohaku?" Yuki asked wondering if she could obtain some sort of honest answer from the boy she had just met. It wasn't like he owed her anything and she didn't think her beauty was something which had enchanted him when everyone spoke of Rin as a sight to behold. There was no way she could compare to the beautiful Rin and she didn't really want to try to be like the beautiful Rin.

"Because, I like you, and because Inuyasha feels that this will be the safest hiding place; same with Sesshomaru-sama and I do not want you hurt by the humans who would punish you for merely seeking aid from yōkai and hanyō." His answer was calm and matter-of-fact but it was not the answer she wanted. He was hiding something from her and she wanted to know what was going through that head of his.

"And you have no interest in me?" she decided to ask bluntly. The young man turned a brilliant shade of red then and she had her answer which was surprising to her. She still didn't know what men saw in women, what made one beautiful.

"No, Yuki, no, I have a lot of interest in you," Kohaku said softly.

"Oh? Why?" she persisted and the young man continued turning the most brilliant shades of red as she stood there awaiting answers from him. Kohaku just stood there then he looked to his feet before he sighed.

"You're beautiful," he stated it and she frowned. "You're expressive, and kind, you also are spirited because only a spirited woman would run away from an impending marriage; disaster or not. You're willful and independent and brave," he said this all and it was her turn to feel flustered as she felt the fire creep over her cheeks. "And you weren't disgusted with me or Inuyasha and his pack so I can only conclude that you are not a prejudice person."

"I didn't know you before I came to Edo seeking help," Yuki pointed out and he smiled.

"True, but everyone knows I was Naraku's puppet," he shrugged.

* * *

Kohaku just looked the young woman over and then he took her hand in his.

"Marry me Yuki," he whispered and the girl frowned but didn't yank her hand away from his.

"You don't even know me," she argued and he smiled for he knew more than she thought. And aside from Rin, who it appeared he'd never be able to obtain, he had never met a more beautiful woman than young Yuki who was standing there staring at him with large brown eyes. She wasn't Rin but she was pretty enough to suit his desires and she seemed to be good wife material. He would not need much more to help rebuild the taijiya. Also Yuki appeared to be a strong and fertile woman. He was certain that in time he would be able to love her but for now, because she was the only woman whom he had liked who wasn't Rin, he wanted her to be his.

"I know you better than you think and you and I will be a solid match. Also I have more powerful friends than your brother," he pointed out. "And I'm not that bad of a catch, I'm smart, good humored, handsome, and quiet a catch. Even if I do say so myself. I'll keep you safe, cherished and happy, and Yuki I want a family with you. You are exactly what I've been looking for," he lied about that last bit but she would never need to know that.

"What about this Rin?"

"Rin," he said her name carefully for it was still too sweet on his tongue and her face consumed his mind as he stood there thinking of his next words carefully. If he admitted he loved her then there was a very real possibility that Sesshomaru-sama would shred him into yōkai feed and if he lied Sesshomaru-sama sent him to the pits of the netherworld. Again. "Rin is forever an unobtainable woman who is a dear friend of mine."

"What do you mean unobtainable?" Yuki asked him and he looked at their joined hands and smiled softly as he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

"I mean Rin is guarded by Sesshomaru and she's his ward," Kohaku said carefully. He didn't know if Rin was more to Sesshomaru are not but to say more would be a sure way to die.

"Do you love this Rin?" Yuki asked him sharply.

"No," he answered honestly for even he knew what he felt for Rin was not love. It was lust, and why not she was unobtainable, the ultimate prize in his mind.

"Then yes, I will marry you Kohaku," Yuki replied softly and he smiled as he leaned over and pecked her lips. It was a sweet, nothing like kiss but he felt a little spark as he pulled away. Yuki merely blushed a brilliant shade of red again. She was adorable, and he could love her in time. Once he stopped lusting for her overly lush body, Kami the woman was a man's worst sin in a kimono for nothing could hide her large breasts, slight waist, flaring hips, and tones legs. She was built better than Rin!

* * *

**That's all for tonight folks! I'll post tomorrow! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	173. A Return to Tomorrow: Chapter 54

**A Return to Tomorrow...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Understand:** _To Know How (Someone) Thinks, Feels, or Behaves…_

* * *

**Chapter 54**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Sango just held Hoshi who was sleeping soundly as she watched over Haruto and her five who were happily playing in the garden before her. She didn't know what Kagome was up to but it was apparent to her that it was of great importance to her as she shoved her pups at her and walked off. It was clear that her best friend was agitated but at the moment, she was nauseous and plotting the demise of one particular monk for knocking her up, again.

"Hey Sango! Have you seen Kagome?" she looked over to Inuyasha who walked into the gardens then and picked up his son to sit beside her.

"No, she just said she had to go speak with InuKimi," Sango answered truthfully. Inuyasha began playing with his pup who just gurgled as he grabbed his father's finger. Sango was not surprised that Inuyasha was a good father, he seemed to be the fatherly type and it was wonderful. When his temper wasn't ruling him she was certain that Inuyasha was a wonderful husband and father for Kagome.

"About what?" Inuyasha asked with a lifted brow and frown.

"She found old scrolls and has been reading them over. She has questions for InuKimi," Sango replied and as Inuyasha sat there frowning while he played with his son. Sango just sighed as she sat there fighting off her newest wave of nausea, damn Miroku! Why couldn't the men be the ones to endure pregnancy?

"I'm going to go find Kagome," Inuyasha said as he let his pup go. She waved him off and sat there trying not to throw up again. Great Kami did she hate being pregnant, but she loved be a mother. Sango just sighed as she looked down to Hoshi who stared up at her in silence.

"Don't ever let a man talk you into being pregnant; it sucks!" she whispered to the pup and she groaned again when she saw her husband walking towards her then. "You did this to me," she hissed.

"Hello Sango," Miroku smiled and she glared. But he kindly kissed her lips lightly and she remembered why she happened to love him again.

"Kohaku just asked Yuki to marry him," Miroku informed her as Michio came to him then and Miroku picked him up. Sango sighed, she loved her brother, she really did but she was losing patience with him and his antics to get a woman. In particular Rin, Sango knew that Kohaku's foolish affections with Rin was nothing but troubles and heartache for her little brother.

"Good, so long as him and Kagome get over Rin," Sango sighed as she leaned on her husband watching her kids play in the beautiful garden.

"Hm, Kagome's still determined," he informed her and she smiled knowing it was foolish and foolhardy to try to sway Rin. If she returned, and when she returned she would not be swayed in her decisions. Rin was nothing if not willful.

* * *

Miroku just sighed as he let his wife lean on him. Personally he never liked Kohaku, but that was for personal reasons, the boy was just too easy for others to manipulate. And a willful young woman like Rin would not tolerate being under the thumb of Kohaku, so he did not see the problem with Kohaku's latest infatuation.

Yuki was a sweet young woman but she was not someone who would challenge Kohaku like Rin. Rin would never tolerate Kohaku, Miroku didn't know who would be strong enough or quick enough to handle Rin but he had a feeling that it would not matter. Rin was not a weak human woman, she would be a most willful young wife if married now. He didn't know why Sesshomaru had let Rin have free run when growing up but the young woman had always been a free spirit.

He didn't see her getting married, ever, she was just too wild. So it was really for the best that Kohaku not obtain Rin as his wife. The boy was really biting off more than he could chew by trying to marry Rin.

"Well, she'll just have to see Rin's too good for Kohaku and deserves better," Sango grumbled. And he was shocked to hear that from his wife. "I know, I love Kohaku but I don't think him and Rin would be a good match. She's too much like Sesshomaru-sama to be a good wife for anyone, perhaps Sesshomaru-sama but she's not for Kohaku or Shippo," Sango whispered.

"I'd have thought you wanted them together." Miroku knew how protective and devoted to her brother his wife was and he also knew she wanted her brother happily married.

"No, at first it was an interesting idea but then she grew up to be like Sesshomaru and that made her dangerous, she's just too much for Kohaku to handle. Sesshomaru will find her a husband suitable for her and we all know it's not Kohaku," Sango said softly. "When are you going to the frontlines?"

"I'm not," he answered her as he took her hand in his wind tunnel-free hand.

"What?" she turned to look up at him with wide eyes.

"I'm staying here to watch over you and Kagome," Miroku answered her as he held her hand in his. He wanted to go with Inuyasha but he also wanted to live with his family too.

"No, go Miroku, I know this is something you want to do, so you should go, I don't want to hold you back. Besides, Kagome and I will rest easier knowing you and Inuyasha have each other's back," and he looked to his wife.

"But" he started.

"No, I know where you want to be and you should go, it's important Miroku. Besides, Sesshomaru said that when this is over we can live in Higurashi Shrine which will need a holy man there to actually like a shrine." Sango pointed out and he sighed.

"Would you mind?"

"Not at all, this is the right thing to fight for," Sango informed him and he pressed his lips to the top of her hair. He had found a truly amazing woman.

* * *

**That's the End of Part IV: A Return to Tomorrow folks!**

**Thank You To All My Silent Readers, I Hope You Have Enjoy Part IV: A Return to Tomorrow! =)**

**A Special Thanks To My Reviewers, though I do not write for reviews you should know they are greatly appreciated! =)**

**Thank You for Reviewing: jj, Guest, Taraah36, supernaturalfan17980, laniGD11, yaoigirl2000, vidanime, KagomeLove2, Sotam, azraelknight, SpainDeBoss, Londa1795, kagomeLove2, Guest, rosaji, sakurahimeo7777, theharleygirl2010, Guest, .7, Ni-Ni chan330, Usui Takumi Walker, BlooRose, shelisa68, Guest, Mela, Danny-Phantom8, lui, and Bookgirl111!**

**You're all awesome for the support, if I missed you I'm sorry and Thank You for the Support!  
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**Thank You to the Readers Who PMed Me, the Support meant a lot!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Part V: Instincts &amp; Innocence will be coming December 23, 2015! =)**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	174. A Return to Tomorrow: One Last Night

**One Last Night…**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

**Lemon Warning?**

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**Eternal:** _Having No Beginning and No End in Time; Lasting Forever…_

* * *

There had been a few weeks here with Sesshomaru and he hadn't tried to touched her as she healed. But Rin had plan now.

After he had returned her fang and Bakusaiga to her she had started formulating her plan to get that little fang within Sesshomaru. It would not be easy but she had a feeling that if she could get him to touch her and then exhaust himself; because he hadn't slept since he had returned to this cave with her fangs. If she could get him asleep, then just make a small slit between his ribs and slip the smaller fang in between the ribs she was certain that it would work. But the trick was getting Sesshomaru asleep; sound asleep…

And thus she had been lead to being a conniving little demon but she was desperate at this point and if giving her body over to him was the way to do this then so be it. Besides, it wasn't as if she hadn't given herself to him already, and enjoyed every moment of handing herself to her lord and lover. Her mate.

Also, she really, really, really wanted him. She had a horrible feeling that their time together here and now was coming to a close. But her time with Sesshomaru would not be over, however she couldn't help but feel as if they wouldn't see one another for a long while. She didn't know why she felt this way, but it was a horrible feeling in her gut which had her reacting tonight. The storm which had rolled in last week, it had yet dissipate, was a good reason for them to stay here. She did not want to lose this time with him.

"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered as she touched his shoulder, and smiled softly.

"Rin," he looked over to her. She gingerly lifted herself to her toes and kissed his lips, he turned then as he lifted her up by her hips.

"Don't stop," she whispered as he pushed her back against the wall of the cave. She smiled at his indifferent face as he came to her again. His lips were hard and relentless. Rin carefully moved her arms around his shoulders again as her fingers entwined themselves with his hair.

"Rin," he murmured, as they retreated into the cave.

Her back was shoved up against the smooth wall of the cave, she gasped and then his mouth was on hers' mercilessly as he pressed closer to him. Rin's fingers stopped tangling themselves in his hair as her arms came around his shoulders so she didn't fall away from him. Her heart was slamming mercilessly in her ribs as she moved her lips with his. His tongue traced her teeth, dominated every crevice of her mouth, and entwined with her own tongue as she was quickly winded from his kiss. Sesshomaru didn't seem phased though as he pulled away from her lips to let his mouth travel over her jaw.

She felt her eyes flutter shut again as his mouth attacked her mark, she moaned softly as he nipped the mark and then his lips latched on and she felt him tug on her skin gently. Her fingers dug into the silk he was wearing as her head fell back. His claws tightened their grip on her hips as he pressed himself more intimately to her. Rin just sighed again as his tongue slid gently over her pulse when he pulled away to look in her eyes. Those liquid pools of gold again entranced her as she studied them.

His face was beautiful, and handsome still, it had not yet hardened with hatred. Her fingers traced those magenta stripes on his cheek bones and he turned into her touch as his lips brushed the racing pulse on her wrist. Then before she could register what he was doing his lips were on hers' again in a gentle kiss. He didn't slow down a bit but he wasn't as demanding with her as he lifted her up. Rin just smiled slightly when he nipped her bottom lip to demand entry. She opened her mouth for him and again the heat and hunger came back as he pulled her away from the cave wall and lowered her to the softer sandy ground.

"Sesshomaru-sama," she breathed out of instinct when his lips were traveling over her jawline.

"Rin," again he nipped her pulse and she felt it race all that much faster. His claws left her thighs and she felt them through the material of her stolen kimono as they traveled up to her barrowed sash. He kissed her again, hard and before she could protest he sliced the sash away and she felt the material keeping her small frame warm slacken before he parted it.

"Don't look," she pleaded, knowing there were newer and more horrible scars as he pulled the material away. He stopped her from covering herself though as he pinned her wrists over her head. The newest of her scars made her feel like a tiger branded with dark stripes for the world to see and she didn't want her lord and love to be disgusted with her. Toran's scars, though ugly were something which had no bothered her but these new scars, they were huge and distinct and would not fade anytime soon.

"Why? You are beautiful." He said indifferently and she looked into those sincere amber eyes which sent her heart racing.

"I am marred," she said softly and he came over her, she gasped as the warm silk he was wearing pressed onto her cooling skin. Her taunt breasts were sensitive to the warmth and had her gasping as she tried to remain focused.

"They are marks of bravery, and stupidity but they are beautiful Rin," Sesshomaru assured her and she blinked at his words. Staring in those eyes she tried to see if there was a lie within him that he was hiding from her but she did not see a lie as she lay there.

"Really?"

"Hn," he answered before he again kissed her and then his lips traveled south over her jaw and pulse, nipping the mark and then he kissed her shoulder. But she screamed and arched when his hot mouth latched onto her cooled breast. Her fingers tightened into fists over her head pinned by his claws and she squirmed at the sensation. It felt so mind numbingly wonderful that she lost all concern for her new and old scars. His tongue flicked out to swirl around her nipple which sent her groaning again. His fangs slid over her taunt breast and then he settled for sucking. His hand slowly released her wrists and she brought her fingers down to entangle themselves in his silver hair.

Suddenly a strong furry muscle slid between her as his claws began toying with her other breast and settled between her legs. Rin just felt a tad bit confused as that furry muscle settled between her legs. However all confusion was lost when she felt it press into her center as Sesshomaru's free hand slid over her side and settled on her thigh.

"Sesshomaru," she gasped in shock and then his hot mouth left her now swollen and soft breast.

"Relax Rin," he ordered in an indifferent voice which had her frowning a bit then she groaned as his mouth latched onto the breast he had been taunting.

"Sess…" his name died on her lips when she felt his fingers probing and that fur tickling her heat. However, she did feel his lips curl into a smirk as his fangs tugged on her nipple. Rin's fingers just frantically grabbed the loose sand as his tongue again slid over her nipple and his claws pressed in on her.

His thumb gently pressed that bundle of nerves which had her moaning as her head lolled to the side. Her eyes squeezed shut as she bit her knuckle to keep herself from crying out in pleasure as the wind screamed and howled. Rin just tried not to lose herself but then he slid a calloused finger into her.

"Sesshoamru!" her hips lifted on their own accord and mokomoko followed them pressing in on her. She felt the pendant of Bakusaiga nick her chest and cut it then Sesshomaru tongue slid over the tiny wound. She just groaned uncaring of the little cut as his finger and mokomoko started pushing her hips into a slow and steady rhythm. Kami-sama the man would kill her!

But she'd die happy, she decided as his mouth came atop hers' again and he slid two more fingers into her. She screamed against his mouth, partially in pain and partially in pleasure, it felt so good! The furs of mokomo slid along her heated slit and his thumb circled that wonderful bundle of nerves which had her pleasure shooting through her body and her toes curling as her fingers fisted in the loose sand again and her legs shifted so she was wider spread for him. Her hips rocked with his pace as his tongue slid between her lips. She just surrendered to him as his body was pressed closer to hers.

"Rin," he growled.

"Sess..shom…" she couldn't form his name as the sensations over took her causing her to arch, ache, pulse and scream his name as she pulled away from his mouth again. He attacked his mark then and she just continued riding through the pleasure as his fingers continued their rhythm. They never quickened nor did they slow and even after the pleasure subsided he did not stop with his strokes.

"Sesshomaru…what…what are you doing?" she gasped as again she felt the pleasure building and her world narrowed to what his claws and fingers were doing with the aid of his mokomoko. Just what was this devious bastard doing to her!?

"You're mine," he murmured as again his lips traveled over her body but they didn't seem to follow a trail as her eyes fluttered shut.

"Every mark, is beautiful," he whispered and she felt him kiss her newly healed tender flesh. She gasped at the sensation, it wasn't bad and he seemed to be trying to be gentle with her. Her eyes remained shut though as his mouth traveled over the fragile skin, he seemed to be trying not to open her newly healed wounds, and her hips continued in his steady, maddening pace as she lifted her hands to grasp something, anything. His lips traveled over her ribs, her heart was slamming mercilessly in her chest as she fought for breath. His tongue slid along the underside of her breast where Toran had scared her and again she moaned, arched and tried to press herself closer to him.

"But Rin," his voice was cold and commanding as usual and it only served to make her body pulse with want some more, she felt the gathering tension again between her legs as he continued moving her.

"Hm?" she tried to focus on his voice but it wasn't really helping her as she gasped again, his thumb pressed harder on that bundle of nerves he had been toying with and she felt the fur of mokomoko pressing more firmly against her as his claws softly slid over that spot within her which had her contracting and moaning loudly.

"Do Not," he nipped the underside of her unscarred breast. "Ever," he kissed where he had nipped her. "Let," his fangs slid down to her stomach. "Another," his tongue teased her bellybutton then. "Touch," he snarled this and caused her to gasp as his voice vibrated her. "You!" he growled and his mouth was on hers' again as he yanked his hand and mokomoko away from her center.

Rin whimpered in protest then he stood. His robes were pulled opened by his impatient form and she shivered as the cold winter air slid over her in the cave. But she licked her lips as her eyes settled on his very large errection. Before she had a chance to do anything to him though he settled between her legs and rammed into her. A cry escaped her lips from the pain and pleasure of having him in her again. It had felt like an eternity since he had last been in her. She pressed her hips closer to his, he pressed in on her hips.

"Understand Rin? Only I may mark you," he stated coldly as he stayed maddeningly still in her.

"Yes my lord," she huffed as she tried to move her hips, but his clawed hands grabbed her hips to hold her still.

"Never let another mark you Rin," he ordered. She nodded her head in frantic agreement to his demands because all she wanted was for him to move in her again. However he was not moving! Rin just snarled in frustration as she looked in those serious amber eyes which were heated with lust and love.

"I promise to never let another mark me!" she screamed then because she really did want him to move and move now before she lost her mind. This seemed to satisfy him as his mouth came to hers' again. Again this kiss was deep, it was heated and it had her body pulsing, aching for a release again and then he moved. It was so slow as she felt him slide out of her that she wrapped her legs firmly around his hips. Her entire body was screaming in protest as his hips held her still and he pulled his length almost completely out of her. She screamed though when he surged forward with an unexpected speed. Great Kami did that feel good as she closed her eyes and let out another scream which her lord swallowed for her.

"Sess…Sesshomaru!" she cried out as she pulled away from his kiss to try to catch a moment's breath. It didn't help as his lips traveled over her racing pulse then attacked her mark. His hips were moving with their demon speed so she couldn't even keep up and then his clawed hand snaked between them and mokomoko slid under her. His thumb again found that bundle of nerves, as he slowly sat them up.

She moaned as her brow fell to his shoulder, he felt deeper at this angel and it felt so bloody good that she could barely move when his free hand snaked to her breast and tugged her nipple while mokomoko slid under her bottom. Her head pulled back as she bit her lip and let her eyes close against the overwhelming sensations. Between his rapid movements in her, his claws kneading her breast, mokomoko sliding over her back, her butt and towards her heated center, his fangs scraping mercilessly over his mating mark and his thumb teasing that bundle of nerves she felt herself lose it as she screamed and arched against him. Everything was just too much and he shoved her back into the sands atop mokomoko.

"Rin," he growled her name.

"Faster," she pleaded; it felt so good! And she was so close she could almost feel it as again she screamed. He was hitting that spot in her, the one which had the entire world going gold behind her closed eyes. Suddenly his hips were moving faster and she tightened her hold on him. Then everything in her stopped as everything consumed her. Screaming his name she felt his fangs sink into her mating mark again as her world toppled over. Everything came crashing over her and then she lay there limply as he moved rapidly.

Heat filled her and she felt him expand in her again, but this felt different, he felt larger and she opened her eyes to see his red eyes and fangs as he snarled at her. There was no fear in her as she then cried out in a pain, he was still swelling in her and now it felt as if he were ripping her apart. Finally it stopped and he completely stilled in her.

"Sesshomaru," she whispered and he just rolled them over then. It felt painful, this time with him knotted in her and she winced a bit as he moved her. He didn't dare move them though and she just hissed in discomfort as her hand fisted over his heart and her eyes squeezed shut. He was so deep and big in her that it just hurt at this moment.

"Relax Rin," he whispered reassuringly and she tried as she kept her eyes shut and tried to breathe through this unique sort of pain. Knotting was a normal part of mating with an inuyōkai of any caliber, however this just hurt.

"Sesshomaru!" she sobbed out softly and his claws slid through her hair gently and his mokomoko moved along her spin reassuring her but it didn't help when he bent his knees, he seemed to press deeper into her and she cried out in shock and pain.

"I'm sorry Rin," he whispered and she just sighed as she kept her eyes shut and forced her body to relax.

"I love you Sesshomaru," she assured him and she felt him relax as she let a light sleep take over her again. Still, her entire person pulsed and ached around him and his knot as they rested in the cave. His claws continued combing her hair and slowly she felt herself relax into a real light sleep. He was still pulsing in her though and it was still somewhat painful.

* * *

Sesshomaru did not dare to move, he hardly dared to breath in fear of jarring her and having her cry out in pain again. It wasn't intentional, and he hadn't even known he could swell this big within a human female. He knew what had brought this on but he had thought that since their first night he did not need to worry about his inner beast. Apparently he had been wrong.

The moment his inner beast had surfaced and scented her as fertile it had intended to pleasure and pup his mate. Now Rin was so full of him he could not scent where she began and where he ended as he lay within her. A part of him hoped he pupped her but another part of him was terrified that he had pupped her. He didn't know if he could be a father or if he was ready to be a father.

Rin whimpered a bit again as she tried to move but he stilled her hips by holding them in place. He would've comforted her but there was no way to ease her pain or discomfort until he could pull out of her. And he didn't know how long that could be as he lay there in her.

"Sesshomaru," she breathed again as she lay there and he relaxed a bit. Great Kami what had he done!? If he pupped her when his inner beast had surfaced then he didn't know what he had pupped her with, and he was terrified. Deathly afraid that Rin would hate him if she knew she could bear a monster instead of a normal hanyō.

"Love you," she whispered as her fingers fisted tighter in her discomfort and her eyes squeeze tighter in her sleep, he felt her tear hit his chest and he couldn't comfort her because to move would be to pain her and that was not something he wanted. Instead he lay there feeling helpless and scared and eager for her to wake so he could start all over. Rin just slept on his chest, blissfully unaware of the worries running through his head as he held her to him.

He prayed he hadn't pupped her as he tightened his hold on his human, she cried out in discomfort and he eased up on his hold.

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**A Gift to You, not my finest lemon but I certainly don't think it's my worst. Anyways... Review here please, I'm still practicing with lemons in general, both in fanfic and personal works so... feedback is much appreciated.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**

**Continue Past the Author's Note for a sneak peak to the coming chapters of Part V: Instincts &amp; Innocence!**

**Will Be Returning December 23, 2015! =)**


	175. IGNORE THIS! WRITER'S NOTE!

**Writer's Notes:**

**Hello Everyone, if you've made it this far into the story you're a dedicated reader and Thank You for Reading Never Be the Same! It Means a Lot to Me!**

**Anyways, this is just a notice for those of you to make it this far, and this is a few findable notes for myself. I will be condensing Never Be the Same and All Of It's Parts As Soon As I Finish Writing All of It.**

**NOTHING WILL BE DELETED FROM THIS STORY BUT I WILL BE COMBINING CHAPTERS AS SOON AS I HAVE FINISHED WRITING ALL OF IT!**

**Now that that's out of my system and the notice has been issued I have a few notes mostly for myself and for those of you interested. Just a few Justifications, and a Few Important Bits of Business for this summery so I can stop hopping about this story to find key bits of info I've left lying about; things which I'm tired of looking for. So bear with me or ignore me but this is really here for me rather than you.**

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**Sesshomaru &amp; Rin:**I was a sucker for them from the start, I'll admit it! I thought they were adorable and family like; like a big brother with an unwanted little sister, so cute! However this view of them changed after _InuYasha the Final Act_ when Sesshomaru goes to the Underworld. Before this episode I did not 'ship' Sesshomaru with anyone, _**especially NOT Kagome or Kagura!**_

The main reason for this is because their flaws would not compliment his, it's all fine and dandy for you to have perfect personalities and to be compatible but I believe that it isn't the good aspects of people which should determine their compatibility though it helps. Complimenting flaws within another person is what I think makes relationships and teams work well, where one is lacking the other could be exceeding and relationships are a matter of work and teamwork, so I believe flaws are very important in compatibility. Also he would not tolerate them on a long term basis as he tolerates Rin, so I believe Rin's really the only girl for him. Also, she'll grow up people, she's not going to stay a child for forever! And her flaws will grow and come into play later, for now she's a child.

Then there's the matter of Sara, a woman who claimed to love Sesshomaru but she; like Kagura; did not truly know him, she just loved his looks and power. And because of this I believe their love for him was shallow, at best, at most it was an infatuation of strength nearing obsession. There's also the matter of he didn't like them very much but he expressed compassion to the both of them in their ends, which leads me to believe he is not as hateful as everyone in InuYasha's group believes. Whether this is because of his own personality or Rin's love and slow invasion of his heart, you decide. Personally I believe it's the first and the second combined.

As to him being paired with Kagome… please, he'd kill her in three seconds. The woman was a born lawyer and he would not tolerate having a woman there to challenge his authority or dominance. Sesshomaru is a classic alpha male, and takes no shit from anyone! And there's the matter of Kagome's view of Sesshomaru never really changes, I do not think she will ever fully trust Sesshomaru regardless of what he has done and if he's saved her. She's suspicious of him all the time, and she never seems to trust him. Which is fine, but in return it's clear she annoys Sesshomaru and he does not particularly care to be around her. Also, Kagome's dramatic and talkative, two things Sesshomaru is not nor ever will be, and because his personality is so opposite of hers' he would not be able to tolerate her. At least on a long term basis. He also does not appear to think very highly of her, as shown in the _Final Act_ when they are in Naraku, it's subtle but it's clear he has no respect for her and treats her as if she were nothing more than a child in that situation. He treats Rin far better than her, and Rin is a child in the manga and anime. So I believe pairing him with Kagome is a sure way to kill Kagome.

Besides the ending of _InuYasha_ left their story open for interpretation and thus the creation of this story. On top of that I feel Rin would grow up to be with him in one way or another, her bond to him is too strong to be broken and he was also bringing her gifts at the end of the anime and manga. That's my reason for liking this pair, and they're an unknown so they're fun to write.

And because they've been left for interoperation I've created this story, because I wanted to know how a dead InuTaisho would know everything his sons would accomplish. One of those sons he never met, and the other son he knew would have a human companion after coming to hate humans. There's also the matter of InuTaisho seeming to have plans and intentions for Sesshomaru and InuYasha. Many of _**my**_ questions during the manga and anime were: How did InuTaisho know InuYasha would defeat Ryūkotsusei? How did he know InuYasha would obtain Tetsusaiga? How did he know Sesshomaru would surpass him to summon Bakusaiga? How did he know Sesshomaru would be able to resurrect Rin with Tenseiga? How was it possible for InuTaisho (who's been dead for over two hundred years!) know about everything his sons would accomplish?

Because it's as if InuTaisho knows everything from beyond the grave! Which I do not believe possible without a ouji board and lots of alcohol involved; oh and a scary house with a stormy night for the full affect.

Also I believe Rin is much more than a ward to Sesshomaru, as shown in the _Final Act _with how he grieves for her second death. Like it was something which actually pained him, and how he did not kill Jaken when Rin had been taken by Magatsuhi because he cared more about Rin than exacting revenge on Jaken. And there's also the gifts at the end, that's not something guardians do for their wards in history. Normally a guardian would try to ensure their ward's future with a sizeable dowry and solid marriage match to ensure their ward's future. Sesshomaru presenting Rin with fine gifts lead me to believe this is not the case here, it seems more like a subtle courtship and one which Rin is responding well to.

Then there's also the time period to consider, and girls as young as thirteen were courted and wed; mostly because the average life expectancy in this time period was not long. It was considered amazing if you lived to thirty to forty with all the diseases, infections, war, and general hardships of this time period. So if Rin, in theory was taken in by Kaede at 9 or 10 she'd be of the courting age three years later when Kagome returns, and also considered a woman after her first minstrel cycle; a biological sign she would be ready to bear children. With this in mind I would think Sesshomaru would wait for her, also when Kagome returns she'd be a meddlesome miko again and probably make Rin wait to marry for a while. Being a modern woman and all, so I have no problem believing Sesshomaru and Rin coming together when all of this is factored in.

Also, Sesshomaru's personality would make him patient as he waits for Rin, he is not a monster who would attack a child whom he has grown close and even protects. Rin is perhaps an exception to everything in regards to Sesshomaru and his hatred; also I believe Sesshomaru's hatred is only vocal towards humans and hanyō to irritate and insult his dead father. Honestly, he probably hates everyone with an equal fiery passion when provoked; human or yōkai. If left alone, he probably couldn't care less.

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**InuTaisho &amp; Izayoi:** They were doomed from the start, _Romeo &amp; Juliet_ doomed, it was painful how doomed they were. The way Inuyasha is set up, with all the conflict between humans, hanyō, yōkai and daiyōkai alike it's clear that there was no way they would've survived. Also, InuTaisho just had to fall for a human who was in a well off family and more than likely had prospects set up for her future; Setsuna no Takemaru for example. Izayoi was probably the worst possible choice for a human for InuTaisho to fall for because she appears to be related to or linked in some way to a daimyo of some assorts meaning she'd have been someone's political pawn or in an arranged marriage.

There's also the slightly small matter of InuTaisho being the Inu no Taisho, which is; according to _InuYasha_ a very powerful rank amongst the yōkai. Which would've made him politically powerful in his own way, and him falling for a human woman would've been unacceptable either way. And though it's a sad thought it appears to have been the underlaying theme in _InuYasha_, humans and yōkai can't seem to be together without great pain or sorrow; as shown by Shiori's mother &amp; daiyōkai father, Hoshiyomi &amp; Tsukiyomi, Jinenji's mother &amp; father (though they don't appear to have ended in tragedy), and Hōraijima Island. Also InuYasha &amp; Kikyo are another fine example of this kind of love being painful.

So with those factors in mind, they would never have made it even if they had tried. Which is not to say they wouldn't have tried or that they wouldn't have had a good life (no doubt InuYasha's life would've been very different), it's just saying that the hardships would've eventually worn on them. Izayoi would've been killed by a yōkai or InuTaisho would've died at the claws of Sesshomaru for the disgrace or wars would've started and InuTaisho, Izayoi and InuYasha all would've died in the process. It's a sad truth of their love but it was truly doomed from the start, that does not mean it was not beautiful at one point, but the world would not have accepted it with grace or compassion, they'd see it as an atrocity.

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**InuYasha &amp; Kagome:** The entire purpose of _InuYasha_ was to show that they were meant to be together. Do I particularly care…no, if I'm honest, but I think that these two are a solid pairing and team. After the Kikyo nonsense was finally over that is. So I'll leave them be, and in this story I think they're fine together.

However I can see Kagome being that 'over protective sister type' where Rin is concerned because Rin did spend time in Edo Village. I don't think she would trust Sesshomaru's intentions towards Rin because it's well known that he hates humans and hanyōs alike. She has the best intentions for Rin at heart but they're misguided.

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**Miroku &amp; Sango:** Again, the entire anime and manga revolved around these two tiptoeing around one another and having bouts of jealousy or heartache. And again, I didn't really care about them mostly because it was already clear from the start they were going to be together. Who doesn't enjoy a womanizer with a monogamist woman!? The laughs are unavoidable! Still, I didn't particularly care but I decided they could be Kagome's ancestors for this story.

Also Rin could really do with a lecher in her life, it'd keep her on her toes so she met Miroku's ancestor Michio.

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**Shippo &amp; Sōten:**I fell in love with this pairing in episode 68 when little Sōten was introduced and she announced she was a girl. I also really fell for them hard thanks to YoukaiYumi on DeviantArt with Raindrops; still don't care for the Sesshomaru &amp; Kagome pairing but I love Shippo with Sōten, they're great if you ask me.

Also Sōten is no weakling like the other girls Shippo would fall for in the anime or manga. She's tough, determined, independent, and with just enough gumption and brains to keep him on his toes and running for her. She'll keep him faithful because she wouldn't tolerate him wandering and she'll be able to tame him as he would tame her.

Then there's the matter of Koryū whom I've made to be Ryūkotsusei's grandson. I just loved that dragon, he cracked me up when I rewatched the anime; so frickin' adorable! What's not to love about them!?

* * *

**Kohaku &amp; Yuki:** I'll be honest; again, I don't really care about this pairing but I felt Kohaku would need someone who wasn't Rin because I'm tired of people (including myself) trying to pair Rin with him. So I picked human girl from the show, it happened to be Yuki.

To be honest, if Sesshomaru's involved in helping Rin grow up in any capacity; large or small, there's just no way in hell he'd be able to handle her. She'd be too willful for him, and too carefree at the same time. Rin enjoys her life, she seems to realize just how precious it really is and Kohaku does not. His ability to self sacrifice himself would not be a quality I see Rin liking because she does not want to be alone, she seems to almost fear it. (Being independent and being alone are two VERY different things so do not confuse them.) And in the long run, I believe she would never fully trust him and he wouldn't fully trust her. I just do not see it working in the long haul.

* * *

**Character's List of Never Be the Same:**

**Ai:** A hanyō refuge who joins the Yōkai Forces

**Akio:** Current Head of the Tengu Clan

**Asagi:** A hanyō refuge who joins the Yōkai Forces

**A-Un:** The first gift Rin gave Sesshomaru in his life when he had been a pup

**Ayame:** Current Mistress of the Ookami Clan

**Band of Seven:** Deceased; Form Ronin who were specters brought back by Naraku

**Chieko:** The blue one; A Guard of the Inuyōkai Clan

**Dai:** A hanyō refuge who joins the Yōkai Forces; twin of Roku

**Fumio:** The red one; A Guard of the Inuyōkai Clan

**Hyōga:** Deceased; Former Head of the Moth Clan

**Haruto:** InuYasha and Kagome's son; twin of Hoshi

**Hoshi:** InuYasha and Kagome's daughter, twin of Haruto

**InuKimi:** Current Mistress of the Inuyōkai Clan, Sesshomaru's mother, InuTaisho's best friend, and Rin's advocate and mentor

**InuYasha:** Son of InuTaisho and Izayoi, hanyō, Sesshomaru's beta in the Inuyōkai Clan, hanyō and acknowledged member of the Clan

**InuTaisho:** Deceased; Former Inu no Taisho, Former Head of the Inuyōkai Clan

**Izayoi:** Deceased; a princess betrothed to Takemaru, InuTaisho's mate and InuYasha's mother

**Jaken:** Sesshomaru-sama's messenger and servant; the 'first' faithful follower

**Jinenji:** Head Healer of the Yōkai Forces, hanyō

**Kagome:** Miko from the future; InuYasha's mate and wife, an adopted sister of Rin

**Kanon:** Miroku and Sango's daughter

**Kaori:** Miroku and Sango's daughter

**Karan:** Toran's younger sister, and Toran's right hand advisor

**Kikyo:** Deceased; Former Love of InuYasha

**Koga:** Head of the Ookami Clan

**Kohaku:** The Last Active Taijiya, also in love with Yuki and smitten by Rin

**Koryū:**Sōten's best friend, Current Head of the Dragon Tribe

**Masaru:** A kitsune lord and faithful follower and messenger of Mikadzuki-sama

**Magatsuhi:** The Dark Spirit within the Shikon no Tama, manifested by Naraku and cursed Sesshomaru

**Michio:** Deceased; Miroku's ancestor 500 years ago

**Michio:** Miroku and Sango's son

**Miho:** Deceased; InuYasha's older sister, Izayoi and InuTaisho's first child; still born

**Mikadzuki:** Unknown

**Miroku:** Lecherous monk, ancestor of Kagome's, and Sango's husband

**Mitsuru:** Miroku and Sango's son

**Moegi:** A hanyō refuge who joins the Yōkai Forces

**Muhai:** Deceased; Head of the Taijiya in Izayoi's time

**Myoga:** InuTaisho's advisor, now InuYasha's informer

**Naohi:** The Light Spirit within the Shikon no Tama

**Naraku:** Deceased; Notorious hanyō

**Panther King:** Deceased; Former Head of the Panther Tribe

**Ren:** Miroku and Sanog's son

**Rei:** Deceased; Rin's former life, 500 years before she was born; killed by wolves at 8

**Rin:** Sesshomaru's mate, next Mistress of the Inuyōkai Clan; also known as 'walking ghost' or 'living ghost'

**Roku:** A hanyō refuge who joins the Yōkai Forces

**Ryūkotsusei:** Deceased; Former Head of the Dragon Tribe, grandfather of Koryū

**Sango:** Retired Taijiya, wife of Miroku

**Sesshomaru:** The Current and Greatest Inu no Taisho, Leader of the Inuyōkai Clan and Leader of the Yōkai Forces

**Shippo:** Kitsune who follow's InuYasha, trusted advisor to Sesshomaru and good friend of Rin's

**Shion:** A hanyō refuge who joins the Yōkai Forces

**Shiori:** The Leader of the Bat Yōkai Clan, a hanyō and good friend of Rin's

**Shunran:** Toran's youngest sister

**Shūran:** Toran's brother, her general

**Souta:** Miroku and Sango's son

**Sōten:** The Last of the Thunder Yōkai Clan; Clan Head (by default), and Sesshomaru's top strategic general in the Yōkai Forces

**Suzu:** InuKimi's servant and a good friend of Rin's

**Takemaru:** Deceased; Izayoi's intended and killer, InuTaisho's enemy

**Tōtōsai:** A respected and famed yōkai weapon's smith

**Toran:** The Leader of the Panther Yōkai Tribe

**Yuki:** Kohaku's girl, also rescued by InuYasha from Narark's incarnation

**Yuki:** Deceased; An innkeeper from when Rin was running with pup Sesshomaru

* * *

**Weapons:**

**Tenseiga**

Meidō Zangetsuha

Resurrection

Healing

**Bakusaiga**

Poison

Protection of Rin and Sesshomaru

Electrocution

Black blade

Dragon slayer

Barrier breaker

Spirit slaying

Light whip

Storms

**Tetsusaiga**

Meidō Zangetsuha

Backlash Wave

Wind Scar

Barrier breaker

Dragon scales

Diamond form

**Sō'unga**

* * *

_Now for the minor notes I need to keep this story straight:_

**Rin:** Rin would not be some meek and helpless girl, I just don't Sesshomaru tolerating her growing up to be useless or helpless. I see her having a purpose and even if no one knows what her purpose is she will grow up to be someone respected and revered in her own way.

Also, I do not see Sesshomaru handing her over to Kaede and InuYasha for years on end all year if she is to make an informed decision on where her place in this world is, and I do not see Sesshomaru's mother hating her. Perhaps not being all that fond of because she's protective of her son but I do not think InuKimi would be outright malicious towards Rin when she's important to Sesshomaru. And that's why I split her year up the way I did, because InuKimi would want to know her daughter-in-law and also so Rin would know she had a place in both worlds.

Also, in regards to Rin not being human that's simple: she's been resurrected from death; _**TWICE**_ people. She's not human, get over it. However she is not a ghost or specter or zombie like Kikyo, or the Band of Seven, or Kohaku. Her life is not sustained by any one object though she is connected to Bakusaiga (again in this story), but that's through the past events she had yet to live through. She has no spiritual powers; sorry but that wouldn't fly if she were to mate an inu daiyōkai like Sesshomaru. She doesn't have supernatural powers after being resurrected but she has a few enhanced abilities like her healing, her hearing, and her sense of smell. Also her spirit and scent are interchangeable because of her being brought back to life twice, once by the Tenseiga (essentially InuTaisho) and once by the Meidō Stone (essentially InuKimi ripped a piece of Sesshomaru's soul away from him to give to Rin in this story) as given her spirit and body much change so she can adapt to where she is and blend in completely.

* * *

**Anyways! Rin's Chronological Time Line and Major Events for Never Be the Same Parts II-IV:**

Rin's born into a human family, with three elder brothers and a mother and father

Bandits kill her family; she's about six when this happens.

Orphaned she lives on the outskirts of her village with her silver dream friend for company.

At eight she meets her silver dream friend for the first time, Sesshomaru.

She's killed by wolves.

Meets Naraku and Kohaku after joining her lord in his travels.

Rin's second death.

Magatsuhi kills Sesshomaru.

Magatsuhi kidnaps Rin for Naraku.

Sesshomaru destroys Naraku and Magatsuhi, Kaede takes her in.

At eleven Kagome returns.

The first time Rin fell through the well she ran from InuTaisho; she had literally just turn sixteen. It was because of the black pearl which InuTaisho had commissioned for her that pulled her down the well and through time.

Izayoi and Takemaru found her in the river and took her to Setsuna.

Sesshomaru did not recognize this Rin because she is younger and still looks youthful in comparison to the Rin he knew.

Rin returned to her own time to interrogate Tōtōsai before leaping back down the well.

After returning Rin seeks out the Shikon no Tama to talk to Naohi about Magatsuhi.* Due to her mission to find the Taijiya out she takes refuge in Setsuna with Izayoi as her mistress while still serving her lord.

Rin and InuTaisho become friends through a mutual curiosity of one another; InuTaisho because Rin belongs to Sesshomaru and Rin because InuTaisho is her lord's and InuYasha's father.

Once she has her 'cure' for her Sesshomaru Rin leaves to start her quest of curing Sesshomaru. However she also caught the eye of Muhai the leader of the Taijiya in this time.

Rin bests Muhai in a duel for her hand in marriage.

Sesshomaru's powers are growing too quickly for his father's training.

Rin and Sesshomaru at this point in the past are lovers by now (they've been lovers for a little while). Right about now she's about seventeen.

Rin uses their relationship to obtain the first item she need to save him; she steals one of his fangs then runs for the well and leaps down it again going further back in time leaving Sesshomaru behind.

Sesshomaru is left to train even harder seeking to obtain supreme power after Rin escaped his grasp.

Rin emerges further back in time from a hole in the ground meeting the Panther King to stab his eyes with Bakusaiga.

Sesshomaru was kidnapped by the Panther Tribe as a pup in the midst of the Panther War. He was saved by Rin, and that was the first time they met in his life.

On the run they meet Michio (an ancestor of Miroku's), and Masaru (for the first time) who serves the all-knowing soothsayer Mikadzuki-sama.

They take refuge in tengu territory, under the watch of Akio leader of the tengu.

Rin steals the Panther King's Ice claw from Toran, it was a powerful weapon which was bestowed upon Toran which she guarded with her life until she lost it to Rin.

They are retrieved by InuTaisho and taken back to inuyōkai territory.

InuKimi releases them from their prison and claims them all to be her guests from Mikadzuki-sama. This displeases InuTaisho.

Rin is attacked by Toran and has huge slashes all over her body from the fight, but she bested Toran. Still Sesshomaru was kidnapped by the Panther clan so Rin runs with InuTaisho to save him after giving her word to InuKimi to never fail Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru is the main instigator of the Moth war his father fights when meeting Hyōga in Tōtōsai's forge after the moth threatens Rin.

Rin is of no relation to Yuki or Yuki's daughter Rei, Rin is a reincarnation of Rei though because she is born 500 years into the future from this point in time.

A-Un is a gift from Rin to pup Sesshomaru.

Rin flees from this time after saying her goodbyes and leaping down the hole again leaving pup Sesshomaru behind.

Sesshomaru pulls Rin out of the well again when she returns to Izayoi's time.

Immediately Rin returns to Setsuna and resumes her service to Izayoi as she seeks the fourth part of creating Bakusaiga. Obtaining dragon's blood.

Sesshomaru and Rin resume their relationship as lovers shortly after her return.

Rin seeks out Ryūkotsusei to obtain the dragon's blood she needs for her lord's cure against Magatsuhi. Mostly because Ryūkotsusei is the only dragon she knows of who is sealed away in this time period; also he's the most powerful dragon to ever live so his blood should suit the power of Bakusaiga and her lord.

Traveling with Sesshomaru again they seek out Ryūkotsusei together.

Rained out she returns to Setsuna to continuing in her service to Izayoi.

InuTaisho confronts Rin about the coming future.

Rin slips off to find Ryūkotsusei on her own after the rainy season finally passes and finds him. They have a conversation where he challenges her to come and take his blood, if she cannot then she is to leave.

After obtaining Ryūkotsusei's blood; and nearly being killing in the process, Rin is taken to Tōtōsai where he again merges the fang together.

Sesshomaru finds Rin again and steals her away to the shore where she can heal, during that time she devised a way to conceal Bakusaiga's smaller form in his body.

Upon her good health she is returned to Setsuna where again she resumes her work for Izayoi, conflict breaks out between the dragons and the inuyōkai again over Izayoi.

Sesshomaru steals Rin away for a few days on the shore before he is to report to war.

Again Rin returns to Setsuna and starts making preparations to leave for the well after Izayoi's birthing of InuYasha.

Izayoi's arranged marriage is continuing despite Takemaru discovering she is carrying a hanyō and Rin stays to guard Izayoi just in case. She's almost eighteen at this point.

Masaru returns on Izayoi's wedding evening to give Rin a gift from Mikadzuki and slips it in her obi.

Takemaru stabs Rin just moments after the wedding is called off, and he leaves for dead in the middle of his courtyard.

Rin drags herself from the courtyard to the gates, is mugged by humans, dragged from Setsuna and tossed into the river.

Sesshomaru rescues Rin, she pleads to be taken to the well.

Sesshomaru let's Rin go in the well where she's taken by time.

Bakusaiga disappears.

* * *

**And for those of you who have read through this you should know the stupid part of this is I wrote this up after having gotten halfway through Part IV: A Return to Tomorrow, stupid I know; normally people write the outline before they write the story. Not me! I'm apparently stupid this way because I even do this for my originals.  
**

**Anyways, for those of you who just scrolled to the bottom for an update:**

**Part V: Instincts &amp; Innocence Will Be Coming December 23, 2015 For Real This Time.**

**But You Can Enjoy the First Five Chapters Now!**


	176. PART V: INSTINCTS & INNOCENCE

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Part V**

* * *

**Instincts &amp; Innocence**

What guides us in life?

I've always wondered how we could be guided through life and how two essentially different parts of be so dominate.

Instincts, they're your guides, they're your reflexes, your attacks, and your defenses. They're what guard you against the coming threats, against the world when it decides to attack you and they help us survive. No one understands this better than our parents, not even they're families could understand the extent of this primal control. However one cannot hide instincts as sharp as theirs, I don't think anything could ever startle them except themselves.

However with instincts can come innocence, innocence is how we precieve the world around us and those untainted by the cruelties of living. We've all been innocent at one point or another but they never seemed to be innocent. They're too instinctual for them to be innocent, however I like to believe that at one point they were innocent. That my mother was untainted by pain and my father never knew hate, after all we were not born of hatred.

Still, I cannot help but wonder which of those guides us through life. And what taints us as we continue through life.

Is it instincts which taint us?

Or is it innocence?

* * *

**A Sample of the Coming!  
**

**(= Will Return December 23, 2015! =)**


	177. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 1

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Memories:**_The Power or Process of Reproducing or Recalling what has been Learned and Retained; Especially through associative mechanisms…_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

"InuKimi! Who is this Rin!?" Kagome demanded as she stalked up holding the scroll where Rin's name continuously popped up. It was annoying her to no end, all this reading of a Rin who appeared to be close to Sesshomaru. The elder inu daiyōkai female turned to look at her with a blank look which her son often held.

"What is it now?" InuKimi sounded slightly irked. But Kagome's temper was running rampant as she stalked up to the elder with the scroll in hand.

"This Rin, this one right here!" Kagome shoved the scroll in InuKimi's face while jabbing at the kanji for Rin's name.

"Oh, yes, I forgot InuTaisho was quite fond of his daughter-in-law, I must agree with InuTaisho, there is no better female for our son," InuKimi smiled. Kagome snarled.

"I want answers, now! Rin is a sweetheart so who is this Rin? And just what was she!?" Kagome demanded.

"Oh dear, that's a complicated question. Rin is Rin, she had never changed, aside from age, in the five hundred years I have known her. As to your question of what Rin is well that's the complicated part, Rin is Bakusaiga, Bakusaiga is Rin, I severed a piece of Sesshomaru's daiyōkai soul on her second death, to give to her reviving her from her second death."

"Huh?"

"You do not know, you never sensed it?" InuKimi sounded shocked for some reason.

"Sensed what?" Kagome asked.

"The Tenseiga is a part of InuTaisho, when it cuts the messengers of the Netherworld down it retrieves a bit of the soul of the dead person but in exchange InuTaisho gave a piece of his own soul to revive them completely. A soul can never be fully retrieved from the Netherworld if they're human, however a yōkai can give a piece of their soul to the human to sustain and revive them making something other than human. However to revive a yōkai retrieves the entire yōkai soul, humans and yōkai are completely different. And hanyōs are also unique in that their entire soul can also be retrieved from the Netherworld by Tenseiga. But because InuTaisho learned that he could only infuse two parts of his soul into Tenseiga.

"Izayoi and Rin are the only two humans who could ever be revived by Tenseiga. But only once, one part of his soul for his mate, and the other for his son's mate.

"Upon Rin's second death I was forced to sever a piece of Sesshomaru's soul, using this," InuKimi lifted up her beautiful necklace. "Now Rin's soul and spiritual energy is more yōkai, more than a hanyō but less than a yōkai, what little of her human soul remains within her is what retains her spirit and essence. When I say Rin is a part of Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru a part of her I do not lie. Rin is the embodiment of Bakusaiga, she created it to save him, he summoned it to protect her."

"That does not explain why Rin's name is everywhere in InuTaisho's journals!" Kagome snapped.

"Does it not? Did you not notice when Rin leapt down the Bone Eater's Well that it worked for her? Did you ever wonder where she went? Rin's fate was to activate the well, just as Sesshomaru's is to guard the well, their fates are far longer lasting than yours and Inuyasha's. And these journals should be proof enough for you. Well if your ignorant human mind cannot comprehend simple journals then I suppose I will simply have to show you Sesshomaru's relationship with Rin. The part you're concerned about, he'd not be happy if I showed you everything he'd lived through for Rin."

"You can't do that!" Kagome gasped.

"Oh? Can I not express to you how invalid your concerns are? I can prove to you to worry about my son and his mate is pointless and futile. It will merely take proper preparations to express to you how invalid you and your thoughts on this matter are because they were long in the works before you were even thought into existence, before your reincarnation was even created, before Inuyasha was thought about and before Izayoi lived. Rin's been with my son since he was a mere pup but I cannot show you that. I severed that link when I tore out a part of my son's very soul.

"However I can show you everything that has transpired between them these past eight years. If I show you that then will you stop worrying about Rin and Sesshomaru?" InuKimi demanded from her.

"Yes!" Kagome decided that this was actually the best decision she could make for understanding. She was so scared for Rin, she was terrified of the girl being used and discarded like she was the insect Sesshomaru preached humans to be.

"Fine then, settle your mind and you'll see what had happened between them for the past eight year. But it will only work if you keep your mind calm, else the connection will be severed." InuKimi informed her flatly as they walked into InuKimi's living quarters.

"Relax, else the connection will be severed and it will not be reconnected. Everything the stone shows you will be only shown once, never again. The Meidostone can only show it to you once, never again," InuKimi informed her as she laid out on the futon.

"Why can't it show me more than once?" Kagome asked.

"Because, it was only ever designed to be used twice. Once to save Rin, the second time I never knew but InuTaisho said I would know when it was time to permanently sever my ties to him. I believe that it was you who was meant to see what the Meidostone holds most dear," InuKimi informed her as she removed the necklace around her throat. "I only care about Sesshomaru and because I care about his beloved person who loves him more than any life she has, so because I loved his beloved person I am willing to show you what you have missed. However, if you ever tell anyone what you see, what the Meidostone shows you I will end you," InuKimi informed her.

"Fine!" Kagome snapped.

"Good, then just clear your mind and relax your body, this will be over momentarily, just calm yourself." InuKimi said icily as she then draped the Meidostone around her neck. The stone pulsed to life, Kagome felt it's life flow into her body. Closing her eyes she inhaled sharply as she cleared her mind.

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**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	178. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 2

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Memories:**_The Power or Process of Reproducing or Recalling what has been Learned and Retained; Especially through associative mechanisms…_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_**Memories, 3 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

Sesshomaru had taken Rin with him, but the old hag's words were ringing in his head as Rin slept on the back of A-Un while they flew to their destination.

'_Rin is a human girl, she needs to be around humans Sesshomaru-sama, she will grow up into a human woman and are you equipped to deal with that?' the old hag eyed him furiously._

'_Hn,' was his answer because he had no answer. This Rin hadn't left him and she hadn't been on a quest to save her lord. He didn't care about her quest, this one was not going anywhere and she would stay with him for all of her life. Rin was his, and he wasn't losing this one._

'_Sesshomaru-sama this is a serious matter. The girl will grow into a human woman and you hate humans, are you telling me that you are going to keep this girl with you? What about when you finally bore of her? What about when she wants to marry or when she wants to have a child? You hate too much to raise her,' Kaede snarled at him. Sesshomaru said nothing as Rin raced up to him with a smile and flowers in hand, there was dirt on her cheek and he fought back his smile as he waited for her. Rin came up and grabbed his hand happily, he looked to the old hag._

'_Let's be off Rin,' Sesshomaru said as he pulled his hand from Rin's grasp._

'_Yes my lord,' she grinned but he stopped when she didn't move to follow him. 'Kaede, Sesshomaru-sama will never hate me and I love him. Thank you for your kindness, goodbye!'_

This replayed over and over in his head as they flew towards his mother's home. It was important that he discuss Rin's future with InuKimi because Rin was the next mistress of the Inuyōkai Clan and his mother would traditionally be Rin's mentor when the time came for her to become a proper lady. However Rin was human and that was a fact he wouldn't change about his woman. Ever. Every Rin, from every time, every version of her that he knew, created the strongest; most stubborn woman he had ever met, yōkai or human alike. Rin was the strongest woman he knew and love, even this innocent child was stubborn with a strength he couldn't even begin to understand but appreciated.

Still the girl was human and perhaps she needed a human's knowledge in life. He didn't know, he had never been a parent; even after having taken Rin in; and he wasn't much of a guardian unless he was actually defending or protecting the girl. So he felt it'd be best of as a female who had been a mother for her opinion, which was why he was flying them to his mother's home in the clouds.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Rin yawned and he looked back to the child who was rubbing her eyes as they approached InuKimi's home.

"InuKimi," he answered as he dropped back to Rin who was carefully sitting up on the dragon she was riding.

"Oh, why?"

"Hn," he answered she just sighed but didn't press him for answers as she smiled then grabbed A-Un's reigns.

"Race you!" she declared, he smirked as she snapped the leather and the old dragon burst to life, he jetted after her. Rin was a truly gifted rider, but this brought up old memories which he shoved aside. Not yet, not now, not the right time, his beast growled. Besides he'd never be _**in**_ love with a child even if he loved her. Still, he had to admire Rin's riding skills as he soared beside her, then he smirked as flew ahead of her.

"Faster A-Un! He can't win!" Rin shouted, he fought off a laugh at the girl's outrage as they flew into view of the inuyōkai home. He relented and pulled back letting her land first.

"I win!" she declared happily leaping off of the dragon with childlike glee.

"Hn," he replied as he walked past her and up the steps to his mother's favorite throne. Rin skipped after him though she cheated halfway up and hitched a ride on his mokomoko. He glanced at her, she just smiled and he ignored the desire to roll his eyes at her as he finally walked to stand before his mother. She was perhaps the only female, aside from Rin, whom he held respect for. His regal mother stood there waiting him and Rin smiled at his mother.

"Hello Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru's beloved person," his mother said and he noted the way his mother softened when she looked at Rin.

"Hello, my lady, my name's Rin," Rin informed her after a slight bow. The girl had never been good at submitting to others but he was pleased that she at least showed his mother some respect. His mother smiled slightly at the girl which had him lifting a brow at her.

"It has been too long, Rin, Suzu, will you please watch over my son's beloved person while we talk." He looked over as a gold inuyōkai appeared then. He snarled, the girl yelp and Rin grabbed his mokomoko then as he moved her behind him.

"Stop this nonsense, Sesshomaru, Suzu is not going to harm the girl and will be a good guard for Rin and her stay here," InuKimi informed him but he glanced down at Rin then.

"Rin," he said and she just smiled before walking around him again to the maid who stood there with a nervous smile. Once the two were gone he turned back to his mother who was watching Rin fondly. He didn't understand his mother's affections towards Rin since after his mother had revived the girl a second time for him.

"What is it you wish to discuss Sesshomaru?" InuKimi asked him and he frowned.

"Rin," he answered truthfully.

"Ah, well I thought this day would come. Come, let us talk in the gardens about this matter in further detail." InuKimi motioned and they headed through the palace halls towards the inner garden.

"You're curious about what would be best for your beloved person," his mother stated as they walked.

"Hn," was his answer because he didn't have a real answer. All he cared about was the welfare of Rin, and knowing what to do for Rin was very important to him. Rin, no matter which Rin she was, was always the most important person and creature in his mind.

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**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	179. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 3

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Memories:**_The Power or Process of Reproducing or Recalling what has been Learned and Retained; Especially through associative mechanisms…_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

_**Memories, 3 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

"In regards to Rin, what should be done with raising her?" he asked. There was no point in evading what he wanted to talk about with his mother, though they weren't close InuKimi was still the wisest of inuyōkai and daiyōkai alike.

"What do you mean?"

"Should the girl be raised by inuyōkai or humans?" he asked outright. Internally he was screaming by inuyōkai but he was not going to say as much because that was what he wanted. He did not want to be apart from Rin, he had never wanted to be apart from her. However, this was the first time in five hundred years he could have a say on if she stayed or left. The mere thought of having that power over her was intoxicating because he wanted her with him for forever.

"Hm, your beloved person is no longer human, as you've no doubt scented; but she is not a walking specter like the Band of Seven, that boy, or the priestess who bound your half-brother to a tree. However she is less than hanyō or yōkai, Rin is a completely unique little human pup," his mother said calmly.

"So, which choice is best for Rin?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Both, she should know humans, she should live with them and know how to be amongst them because she was human at one point. However, she also belongs with you and the inuyōkai clan because she's your beloved person," InuKimi said calmly. Part of him was relieved and another part of him wanted to rip his mother apart but he refrained because he sensed the truth in his mother's words. Rin hadn't been completely human since her first death, her second death she had become something more, and now he had to help her grow up. It was important that the girl grow up, but he had no idea how to go about raising his Rin.

"Split her time," he said calmly.

"Yes, ensure that she is in the care of your hanyō brother and that old miko; Inuyasha should be able to protect her adequately enough for the times she's with them. However, entrust her to my care and the care of the clan for another part of the year. She should learn both human and yōkai cultures, your beloved person could be a bridge between our species. Rin is young, her mind is more open to understanding to loving and to caring. I've seen her love for you, that dragon she gave you and the imp who follows you; the girl is a very kind and caring creature but to grow up into a mate worthy of you she must be fierce. Being raised by both races will make her strong, it'll make her relentless, it'll make her kind and compassionate, but more importantly she'll be understanding."

"And how do you propose I break up her year, disrupt her life year after year with this?" he challenged.

"You don't, you make her splitting her time between yōkai and humans routine, you being with her will be disruption enough to keep her adventurous. Do not worry about Rin, Sesshomaru, she is still yours but if she is to remain yours then she must decide where she belongs in this world on her own. Dividing her time with humans and yōkai will teach her to appreciate her time and to enjoy being with both species. A fair trade, do you not agree?" his mother asked.

In truth it was a fair enough exchange which had him pondering how Rin would react to it.

"Of course you'll have to leave her alone from time to time but that is not to say you have to sever ties with the girl. Merely permit your hanyō brother and his friends believe they had a say in Rin's future and life, permit her to create friends in them and with them. It will be important for her to have more friends than just you in life so she can grow as a person."

"How should I divide her year?" Sesshomaru asked as he stopped to look over a field of his mother's precious flowers, Rin was picking them and Suzu looked panicked. He softened slightly at the sight of her laughing and to hear her humming one of her favorite songs.

"Spring and summer, part of autumn should all be spent with the humans, it'll make them feel as if they are in charge of this decision. However, the rest of autumn and winter she is mine, Sesshomaru," his mother said firmly. He didn't react to her tone but it did startle him.

"If that is what Rin wants," Sesshomaru said softly then walked to where she was creating right then. She looked up to him with a huge smile on her lips, and love in those happy, dark eyes were filled with a love he'd never tire of seeing.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin greeted him as she stood to skip up to his side.

"Rin, come," he ordered and dismissed Suzu before she could follow them. This was something only he and Rin needed to talk about and he wasn't going to let her opinion in this mean nothing.

"Rin, I am going to permit you a choice, you can live with the humans and yōkai again or you can continue to travel with me," Sesshomaru said coldly. The girl stared up at him with large eyes which were beginning to gather that foul smelling scent of tears, but he over looked it as he watched her.

"No! I'm staying with you!" Rin shouted as she dropped her flowers then ran to hug his leg. "I don't want to live with humans!"

"You'd live with Inuyasha and his pack, I'd visit you often," he admitted; mostly because staying away from the child was difficult. "And in the winter we would live here," Sesshomaru said calmly. He could endure an entire winter of being cooped up if he had Rin for company.

"You're not leaving me?" Rin mumbled her question into his hakama.

"No, but this is for you to decide, I'm not leaving," Sesshomaru said firmly.

"This will be good for Rin, won't it?" she mumbled. He didn't answer her but he and she both knew that was his answer. Rin sighed as she then released his leg to grab his hand. "Rin will do this for Sesshomaru-sama, but promise Rin you will visit often?"

"Hn," she knew what that meant. Also, he was going to have to continue on teaching her not to refer to herself in the third person, but she was making progress until she was upset or saddened. They'd continue to work on it though. It wouldn't do for the future head of the inuyōkai clan to refer to herself in the third person when she was upset.

"Then I will go, who am I to live with?" Rin asked innocently.

"Inuyasha's pack," he repeated. If the old miko wanted to raise Rin so badly then she could live with them when she was to live with the humans.

"Alright," she sighed as if in defeat. He just let her hold his had as they returned to the stables where A-Un was waiting for them. "But in winter I get to live with you? Right?"

"Yes Rin," Sesshomaru answered.

"Good," she sighed.

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**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	180. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 4

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Memories:**_The Power or Process of Reproducing or Recalling what has been Learned and Retained; Especially through associative mechanisms…_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_**Memories, 3 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

"So you is to be here for spring, summer and most of fall?" the old miko asked.

"Yes, my lord said that I would be free to be to make an informed decision if I could live with both humans and yōkai," Rin said softly as she sat beside her lord. Sesshomaru said nothing as he sat there nudging her along to admit their mutual plan. Actually, it was his mother's plan according to Sesshomaru but this was to be presented by her so the humans would be more open. Also, apparently she was to lear to speak for herself and to think for herself; not that she hadn't been doing just that, but no one believed her when she said as much. Just look at the incident with that monk, what's-his-face!

"And you believe this is best by dividing her time so she spends a quarter of the year with yōkai?" Kaede demanded and she knew that was directed to her lord. Inuyasha hadn't said anything this entire meeting because he seemed most melancholy like Master Jaken.

"Yes, you demand Rin to make a decision which will better or worsen her future path. However you demand she learn to be human, if she is to make her own decision she should live both offered lives." Sesshomaru pointed out in his typical icy tone which had her looking to him for comfort. He did not look at her, he was holding his glare against the old miko. Rin looked back to Kaede and sighed internally in defeat. She did not even like humans and now she was to live with them, Rin was less than thrilled.

"Fine," the miko submitted and then Sesshomaru turned his attention to Inuyasha.

"However, I have one condition, Inuyasha is to guard Rin while she is here, if he will not then Rin will continue her travels and studies with me," Sesshomaru said coldly.

"Huh?" Inuyasha finally looked engaged with this conversation. Rin blinked then sipped her tea before she could point out that he was being an ignorant fool again and oblivious to an important conversation she was having with the miko and Sesshomaru.

"InuKimi-sama feels that it would be for the best if you were to look out for me," Rin informed him. Inuyasha blinked dumbfounded at her statement but Sesshomaru just looked extremely irked at his brother finally joining the conversation.

"Who's InuKimi and why would I watch out for your brat!?" Inuyasha snapped. Rin frowned into her tea before she pointed out he could not call her a brat when he did not know her.

"Because Inuyasha, it would pass as you sit at that well," Sesshomaru stated indifferently. But there was something in his tone which told her he knew what his half-brother was going through. Rin did not know much about Sesshomaru's past but he always seemed to be waiting for someone. Who she did not know but it always seemed like he wasn't here and that he was waiting for someone.

"What are you talking about, I have many pressing matters to attend to!" Inuyasha argued.

"Sure you do," Rin grumbled under her breath, her lord shot her a glare which had her sitting there in silence again as Inuyasha sat there twitching as he glared at her.

"I do! I do not care that Kagome is not here! She's happier on her side of the well," Inuyasha snapped. Rin felt Sesshomaru stiffen at Inuyasha's words, but she didn't react to his new icy attitude.

"Certainly, there are better things to do than mope about and wait for a well which never produces that which it takes," Sesshomaru snarled. Rin just blinked into her tea cup, that tone was the very tone which told her he would win this argument and that there was no winning this for Inuyasha. And as Inuyasha's ears drooped then as he slumped forward in defeat.

"Fine, I'll watch over the brat." Rin frowned but before she could snap back however Sesshomaru stopped her.

"Watch your mouth half-breed, Rin is to be treated as a member of the inuyōkai clan," Sesshomaru stated this firmly and Rin blinked at him. "She is to be treated as the next mistress of the inuyōkai clan and as my mother's apprentice, nothing less and if I hear otherwise in her treatment Rin is leaving with me."

"Fine, let her go," Inuyasha snarled.

"Inuyasha!" Kaede snapped and he winced. Sesshomaru's snarl had her just sighing for there would be another fight if they weren't careful with Sesshomaru's temper.

"Fine! She can stay," Inuyasha mumble.

"Thank you Inuyasha," Rin smiled and the hanyō looked a bit miffed as they sat there in silence. Sesshomaru left her then, Rin would've followed but he had already told her not to. She sighed as she looked up to Inuyasha and Kaede who were looking at her as if she were a burden now. Run, it was all her mind screamed as she looked into her tea.

This was a bad idea, Rin's gaze flicked up to them then back to her cup.

"How long until autumn?" Rin asked then, a moon into the turning of the leaves was when she would get to leave. And Rin could not wait to return to inuyōkai territory.

"Six full moons," Kaede supplied for her. Great, her heart was sinking as she stood up and walked out of the hut. Just what was her reason for being here? Her lord wanted her to live amongst humans but why? What could he gain by leaving her here? Rin didn't know but as she pondered this she began to doubt many things about herself.

"You're Sesshomaru-sama's girl, right?" Rin yelped as spun around to look a set of blue-green eyes which made her think of the ocean her lord had taken her to once.

"I'm my lord's Rin," she answered and smiled. The boy had a human look about him but his orange-red hair, huge, fluffy tail, and animal feet betrayed him to be a kitsune. "You're a kitsune, right?"

"Yeah, you're the first one to get that right! I'm Shippo," he said happily.

"It's nice to meet you Shippo," Rin said honestly. At least she wasn't completely surrounded by humans; that was nice. Besides, they had briefly met in a few battles but she and he had never been properly introduced. Shippo grinned mischeiviously.

"Wanna see something cool!?" he asked as his hand slipped into his pelt.

"Yeah!" Rin exclaimed happily.

"Teddah!" he produced a lizard then, Rin giggled.

"Awesome!" she mused taking it from him, he just gaped at her. "Where'd you get this yellowbelly?"

"You're the first girl not to scream and run from my lizard!" Shippo whined.

"They're Master Jaken's favorite treat," Rin answered honestly remembering all the times she had caught all these lizards. She thought it was gross but after a while it became a little challenge for her; how well she could capture a reptile.

"You know Rin, this could be the start of a most beautiful friendship!" Shippo decided, they grinned as they then began plotting mischief and mayhem.

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**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	181. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 5

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Memories:**_The Power or Process of Reproducing or Recalling what has been Learned and Retained; Especially through associative mechanisms…_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

_**Memories, 3 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

"I don't think this'll work," Rin hissed to her friend.

"Nonsense, it'll work," he insisted and Rin rolled her eyes. Shippo had quickly become her best friend in the village, an even better friend than Inuyasha. The little kitsune was an orphan like herself, he was also taken in by strangers of a different race like herself (him a hanyō and humans, she an inu daiyōkai lord), and they both loved adventure. They had lots in common though they were two very different creatures, both held a mischievous streak, both enjoyed having silence. They had games to play and pranks to plot and when he wasn't training to be the mightiest of kitsune under the guidance of one Masaru-sama he was here waiting for Kagome.

"It's not going to work," she chimed from her perch in the tree as she watched their target; Kohaku.

"Have a little faith Rin-sama," Shippo teased, Rin frowned at him but resumed her looked out. Everyone had hopes that she'd attach herself to Kohaku after their traveling together for a time but she couldn't, it just wasn't in her to do that. She hadn't really bonded with him when he had traveled with them, he was a nuisance really, but he was under her lord's protection. If he hadn't been she'd have given him hell after all his tormenting of her and her bond with her lord; she really did wish InuKimi had eaten him. But she would never say that, and Shippo helped her in tormenting the dweeb so all was fair in love and war. Apparently Kohaku had put Shippo's pack through a lot of heartache as well and he had yet to forgive him for that.

"Well if you want it to work do it now," she called out softly to the kitsune. Shippo aimed for the rope.

"Kitsunebi!" Shippo hissed and the fire flew up to the rope he had aimed for. Rin just leaned back in her tree, this was not going to work. Even she knew this was not going to work, but the only way to prove that to her orange friend was to let him fail in his prank.

"Hey Rin!" Kohaku noticed her and waved, Rin smiled to wave in response. The water and the bucket fell right past Kohaku with a thud and splash.

"Told you so," Rin hissed.

"Insufferable know-it-all, inuyōkai wanna be pup, brat!" Shippo hissed at her.

"You Little Squirrel!" she retorted and he gaped at her as she leapt out of the tree. Landing nimbly she walked back to the village partially to irritate the kitsune whom she was friends with and partially to escape Kohaku. Then again she didn't want to deal with Sango or Miroku but she'd rather be in the village than with the young taijiya, it was easier for her if she wasn't around him.

"Rin," she spun around to look at a set of amber eyes as brilliant as her lord's but far more expressive.

"Yes?" she asked nervously.

"Next time, you need to…" and she was shocked as Inuyasha started lecturing her for the next time she and Shippo wanted to drown the little dweeb; preferably in honey to attract the bees. Apparently Inuyasha was also not all that fond of Kohaku but he tolerated the boy because of Sango.

* * *

Inuyasha liked the girl his brother had marked, she wasn't as serious as Sesshomaru but she was just as dangerous in her own way which was an impressive feat for a girl who was a human with no spiritual power.

"Thank you Inuyasha," Rin said happily.

"Uh…" that just knocked him off balance as he looked down at the girl who looked happily devious as she sat there with an evil grin on her lips. The girl was definitely an unusual little girl and he found himself smiling a bit as he walked with Rin.

"Inuyasha, do you miss Kagome?" Rin asked him when they both walked into the field and he looked to the well. He looked to the child and he knew neither of them were smiling as he looked to the well.

"Why do you ask?" his voice gruff at the feeling of his pain welling up in his heart and mind. It was a unique kind of pain, something akin to when he had lost his mother.

"Because, I miss Sesshomaru-sama." The girl whispered and he looked to her and that black head of hers' was ducked down so he couldn't look at her.

"Rin, why are you here?" he asked her and she looked up to him with mysterious dark eyes he did not think a child should have.

"Sesshomaru-sama's mother, InuKimi, believes I needed to live with humans and yōkai before I decide who I want to follow. I can either follow, and live with humans or I can continue living and following my lord," Rin answered and he just stared at the child who was standing there with a determined look in her eyes.

"Yes, I miss Kagome," he admitted to the child who was now sitting beside him and they both sat in silence. It was strange how Rin didn't pester him with questions about how he was doing. The girl was sitting with him in a companionable silence which he hadn't even expected from her. Rin was just being kind and comforting to him, something humans hadn't really been for him most of the time. it was surprising how Sesshomaru's little human could be so compassionate and kind when his brother was not. Rin just took his clawed hand and he was surprised at how the girl was so calming and accepting as she held his hand without any fear of his claws. Not even Kagome or Kikyo had been this quick to accept him.

"I miss Sesshomaru-sama, Master Jaken, and A-Un," the girl whispered and he just stared at Rin as he squeeze her hand. She squeezed his back.

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**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**

_**(= I'll Be Back December 23, 2015! =)  
**_


	182. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 6

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Choices:** _Care in Selecting; Judgement or Skill in Distinguishing what is to be Preferred, and in Giving a Preference; Discrimination…_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

_**Memories, 3 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

If the choice were ever hers' to make she'd choose to stay with her lord, no questions asked, Rin did not particularly desire to leave him when he was everything to her. And thus she had made her choice, true she probably had other choices but no one besides her lord ever seemed to listen to her when she made her choices so she would leave to follow him. Even her child's mind could see no flaw with this as she pretended to sleep, cracking her eyes she saw Inuyasha was sound asleep, and she carefully rose from her bed and blanket.

She knew she did not need anything to survive in the wilds of the world she lived in when she had survived off of nothing for as long as she could remember. So she silently padded past Inuyasha, tenatitively stepping over Shippo, silently sliding to the earthed ground of the entrance of the hut before she slipped past the opening's barrier and ran for it. She made it to the forest when she let out the shuddering breath she had been holding for so long, looking over her shoulder she looked at the silent village below her before she continued walked into the dark forest.

No doubt she should be scared, but she felt no fear as she followed the unexplainable pull she always felt which always led her to her lord. Carefully Rin trekked through the forest deciding she'd be able to find Sesshomaru-sama with ease, he was never difficult for her to find. Even when she had first started her travels with her lord he had not been all that difficult to follow; at least for her. Master Jaken always seemed to be losing her lord and then crying about the loss which could be most annoying and most amusing. But mostly Master Jaken always seemed melencoly when he was ordered to stay with her and watch over her. Sesshomaru-sama did not want her to be alone, he seemed to know she was afraid to be alone and always left A-Un and Master Jaken with her.

However, Rin was independent and she was not afraid to be alone while she looked for her lord. No doubt if it got really dangerous, or really bad he would save her. He always did, he had come to her aid when she had been falling from the cliff, he had rescued her from that specter with two personalities, he had saved her from Kohaku, and even rescued her from Magatsuhi and Naraku. Sesshomaru would never fail her. And she would continue following the tug in her heart which would lead her straight to her lord.

She did not desire to be mute again and she would find her lord because he listened to her, Kaede and Sango would not and had not. She had had enough, she had survived two cycles in a human village and wanted to go home. Her home was with her lord, Jaken, and A-Un. Her home was not a hut, it was not a village, and it was not where she was told what to do, when to do, and what to say. She wanted her lord, and she wanted to go home!

* * *

His ears were greeted with three words he had never wanted hear.

"Where is Rin!?" Inuyasha's panicked voice shouted and his blood ran cold. His sprinted into the village and everyone in Inuyasha's pack jumped when he landed in the center of them.

"Where is Rin?" he snarled as his claws itched to flay his half-brother. Inuyasha's ears slammed onto his head and Sesshomaru knew his brother was afraid. Very afraid, and rightfully so, Sesshomaru's claws twitched.

"S-S-Sesshomaru, we weren't expecting you," the taijiya woman said nervously and he snarled again silencing the woman then.

"Where is Rin?" he asked in a colder, harder, and more dangerous tone now. He wanted to have Rin here now, he wanted her back now, she was missing apparently and he wanted to take back then. Bring her back to him because he would obviously be a better protector for his mate. Which was something he had already known, but he had tried to trust his mother's ideas in helping Rin grow up.

"We don't know, she left last night, she's not in the village," Inuyasha answered him. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "I think she's trying to find you and she's missing now."

Sesshomaru didn't say anything as his eyes flicked up towards the forest line and he leapt past them all as he flew into the forest. He knew where Rin would be waiting for him. His human pup was no fool, and she had this uncanny ability to find him or wait at a particular spot for him. She would do this without his words or orders and he was trusting Rin to be at the well right now.

She was.

Rin was sitting there looking down the well as her legs dangled in it. He snatched her up with his heart pounding in terror for if she could fall in.

"Rin!" he shouted at her and the child stiffened in his arms then.

"My lord?" Rin tried to pull away from him to look at him but he couldn't let the girl go as he backed away from the well.

"Rin, do not ever go near that well," he said coldly as he pulled back to look at the girl. Rin just stared at him with wide startled dark eyes, he did not want the child to be taken from him by that well. This Rin was his and she was not leaving him if he had any say in this mater.

"Yes my lord," she nodded solemnly as she held the edges of his armor. He released a deep breath then he set the girl on the summer's grass, she just stared up to him with large eyes then she smiled at him and he felt relieved.

"Can I go home now my lord?"

"Hn?" he lifted a brow for the child to elaborate then.

"I want to go home with you, Master Jaken and A-Un," Rin elaborated for him as she looked up at him pleadingly. He internally groaned for he would not be able to break his word to the old hag or his mother so he could not indulge Rin and take her with him, like he wanted to. If she asked him to he would slay armies for her, but he could not go back on his word with his mother or the old miko.

"Please, I've been good, I want to go home!" she pleaded.

"Rin, you will return to the inuyōkai this coming winter, you must stay here until then." He regretfully informed her.

"But!"

"No Rin, I can bring A-Un for you though," he decided. He couldn't let Jaken stay here; the miko would kill the imp, and that was not something which Rin would be happy about. For whatever reason the child was fond of the imp.

"Thank you my lord," Rin mumbled.

"And do not run off," he said coldly. She grumbled as she stomped towards the village, he just glared at the well as he walked beside her. This Rin was not leaving him, she would not be claimed by the well, he refused to lose her!

* * *

**A Small Token of My Appreciation for All the Offers of Help I Received With My S.O.S. and so I Decided To Treat You All. I have wonderful readers, and I hope you enjoy this little treat!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same!**

**(= Still Not Returning Until December 23, 2015! =)**


	183. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 7

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Choices:** _Care in Selecting; Judgement or Skill in Distinguishing what is to be Preferred, and in Giving a Preference; Discrimination…_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

_**Memories, 3 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

Rin just stretched out in the grass with A-Un and Shippo as the looked down the ridge at the well where Inuyasha was sitting.

"He yelled at you?" Shippo asked her.

"Uh-huh," Rin nodded as she rested her chin on her folded hands.

"He never yells," Shippo said suddenly.

"Not at me," Rin amended. She was hurt after the incident last week when Sesshomaru had yelled at her. It was one thing for her lord to yell or snarl at someone else in a fight (and even then it was not unless he was intimate danger), but he never raised his voice or snarled at her so she was a little hurt by his tone.

"But it'll be alright," Shippo assured her. She frowned a bit for she wasn't as certain as Shippo that all was going to be fine. Rin could attest to the fact Sesshomaru had never been an expressive creature but the rage she had seen in his eyes had her staying well away from the well. She did not ever want to see that look in his eyes, directed at her, ever again. So she was here, rather than over by the well, hoping that if she stayed away from the well her lord would not seem as angry with her.

"It will, Rin, you're the only one he likes," Shippo said as he comforted her.

"I've never seen him so mad," Rin mumbled and looked back at the grass. She never wanted him to yell at her or look at her like that again. It was not a pleasant feeling and something which had had her tensing and hurting in her heart. It also had her hanging her head in shame.

"Well, it was bound to happen eventually Rin," Shippo informed her and she shook her head. It had all been her fault, she knew that, she wasn't such a child to think herself innocent in this matter. However, her heart was hurting at this moment because he had yelled at her, he had seemed angered by her being near the well. What she couldn't figure out was why? Why had it upset her lord so much? Especially since she hadn't been doing anything besides sitting on the ledge of the Bone Eater's Well looking down at it and wondering how it worked; how it could connect Kagome to her strange time. It was something of a mystery to her and had her wondering about how it worked. She did not think she had done anything particularly bad by just sitting there.

But clearly she had, Rin just couldn't figure out what. And now since she was avoiding the well to keep her lord happy, Inuyasha was sitting down there alone waiting for his own mate. Her heart ached for him however she would not be displeasing her lord again so she would stay away from the well. Rin just sighed, it really did not help that she felt responsible for her lord's outburst against her.

* * *

Sesshomaru just leaned on a tree, and tried to remind himself that this Rin did not know, she had never experienced, nor had she ever willingly left him. There was no reason to shout at the child when she had never left him. This Rin was not going anywhere, there had been no reason for him to shout at her when she had merely been sitting on the lip of the well. She did not know any better, and she didn't know anything about what had happened.

This Rin did not know anything about his past, and as he looked down on the moping Rin with A-Un and that kitsune with her. He felt horrible about yelling at her, but he couldn't seem to calme himself enough to leave her yet. He was very terrified that she would go play at that well again and she'd fall in again disappearing from him for forever. He did not want to lose her, he couldn't lose her, he weas terrified of losing her. Sesshomaru did not like the thought of being alone, again, he had finally got her back, he did not think he could stand to lose her again.

Rin sat up and he stiffened as she moved and then she turned around to walk over to A-Un. He relaxed a bit and internally sighed in relief as he then flew away before he grabbed her and A-Un and ran for the hills. He was not permitted to break his word when it was for the greater good where Rin was concerned. The only way he was permitted to take her; according to his mother; was if her life was immediate danger and she was going to be killed or she had been kidnapped.

If either of those were to happen to Rin then he would be free to take her and run for the hills with her. She was still his ward, despite what the old hag and his half-brother thought. His mother, Jaken, and the few other inuyōkai to know about Rin all respected his being her guardian and his claim on the child. None would ever dare to dispute his claim over Rin, even if she were merely a child.

Landing in a clearing he started towards his mother's home since he had decided to do the responsible thing and step up to being Inu no Taisho he had been running missions for the inuyōkai clan. And right now he had to return to his mother's to deliver response he had received from the tora clan in response to his mother's request to an alliance against the panthers who were again rallying again. He didn't think he could actually fulfill his father's role as Inu no Taisho when he wasn't that much of a leader but he was fine with fulfilling the role as long as he was left alone.

And far, far, far away Fumio and Chieko before he killed those two idiots who had been chasing him around since after his father's death.

* * *

**My Final Gift For All The Supportive Readers I Have!  
**

**At Least Until December 23, 2015!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	184. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 8

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Choices:** _Care in Selecting; Judgement or Skill in Distinguishing what is to be Preferred, and in Giving a Preference; Discrimination…_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"Rin," her lord called her name and she grinned in delight. She had made it through the entire summer without any major incidents and now she was free to leave with her lord to go live with him and his mother for the winter. Happiness could not even begin to describe how she felt as she skipped up to him with her pack of things all set to go.

"Ready!" she declared.

"Alright, and ye will return her come spring; will ye not, Sesshomaru?" she glared over her shoulder to Kaede who dare to challenge her lord's word. It was insulting they thought so lowly of her lord that he would dishonor his word, though he rarely gave it, once he had given it he did not ever break his word.

"Let's be off Rin," Sesshomaru said absently and indifferently effectively dismissing the old miko.

"Yes my lord!" she called out as she chased after him and grabbed the reins of A-Un. She leapt up onto the dragon before her lord leapt into the skies and chased after him atop the dragon. Sesshomaru glanced over to her and she grinned happily as she flew up to be beside him. This was what she had been missing for months! She never wanted to go back to another human village again! She would much rather be living with yōkai and her lord than with humans.

"Race you!" she declared happily and snapped the leather reins of A-Un and lurched through the chilled air. She laughed with delight, and glance at her lord who gave her an indifferent look before he lunged forward a head of her, she grinned.

"Faster A-Un!" she greedily ordered and they raced through the skies towards his mother's home.

They raced the entire way, Sesshomaru landed on the steps of his mother's fortress first though and she landed a moment after him. Grinning like a crazy person she hopped off A-Un and chased after her lord who was leading the way up the steps to his mother. She hadn't felt happier than this moment since he had left her in Edo. She never wished to return to Edo, however she had a feeling she would but for now she was with the inuyōkai and her lord so she was most happy about this.

"Rin, you are to behave while here," her lord instructed her in a cold tone which held a clear tone of 'no shanagains'.

"Yes my lord," she said solemnly and nodded her head to reaffirm this.

"You will do as ordered, and no questions. My mother is in charge of your care for now," Sesshomaru informed her and she frowned a bit. Of course her lord wouldn't be here with her all the time; she internally chided herself; but she had hoped he would be with her again. However she would not sound like a spoiled brat in this instance, she would be mad about it later.

"Yes my lord. Will you not be staying with me?" Rin asked him, though she wasn't going to act out because he wasn't here she would like to know if he would at least be here for a little bit. She didn't want to be alone.

"Yes," he answered coldly and relief swamped her as she trotted after him. Though her lord always walked as a leisurely pace she always had to trot to keep up with him. It was challenging but it kept her moving!

"Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru's beloved person, welcome," InuKimi greeted them with a slight smile and Rin took a step behind her lord instinctively.

"Mother," her lord greeted the elder coldly and she peeked around Sesshomaru and smiled at InuKimi. His mother looked pleased to see her and she was relieved that she didn't hate her. Still, Rin aimed for her hair to fall over the purple crescent moon scar marring the nape of her neck so his mother wouldn't know about it. She didn't know why it was important she hide the scar but according to her lord it was most important she keep the scar hidden and not think about it.

"Hello InuKimi-sama," Rin greeted happily and the elder softened slightly.

"Come Rin, you have many lessons to attend, but first a bath; she reeks of humans," InuKimi declared and Rin just sighed but followed her lord's mother. She peeked over her should to her lord and he turned walking into a different part of the fort. Tin just hurried after InuKimi then. Her lord would never leave her if this place was truly dangerous and she had faith that her lord's mother would not harm her. So she happily chased after the taller, beautiful, silver female who smiled a bit as she walked beside her.

"You are a most forward child, claiming a spot of equal," InuKimi mused and Rin frowned, was this not where she was supposed to walk. "But I suppose it's only proper, you are my son's equal and my apprentice."

"I am?" Rin felt confused about this as they walked the halls.

"Yes, now our time is limited and there is much for you to learn to be the next mistress of the inuyōkai clan so you will have to pay attention." InuKimi was suddenly stern with her and Rin straightened her posture.

"Yes my lady," Rin replied automatically. She would not displease her lord's mother. She would be a good…apprentice? And she would learn everything she needed to know so she did not disgrace her lord. Which was something she was terrified to do.

"At least you are eager to learn, perhaps there is hope for you yet Sesshomaru's beloved person," InuKimi mused and again Rin frowned at being addressed liked that. What did 'Sesshomaru's beloved person' even mean? She felt it was rather like that word smitten (which she had yet to figure out the meaning of), and she would uncover the meaning with time. Still, it irked her that she felt like this was important to understand and she didn't understand it.

"My lady, I'm my lord's Rin, not his beloved person," Rin finally spoke up. Earning an amused look from InuKimi.

"Of course you are his beloved person, and his Rin too. You hold much power over my son and are his equal; I will teach you to hold pride in this as both his beloved person and his Rin, it is important you be both," InuKimi instructed her.

"Yes my lady," she submitted.

* * *

**I Really Needed to Write Sesshomaru &amp; Rin After struggling through Trying Not to Neuter Him! Mi gods, was that ever difficult and not even close to being my best story. I'll admit it, however it's done! Thank the gods! Now I'm going to be focusing on Rain for Tears starting tomorrow. Hopefully I'll Finish that by 25/11/15 and then be onto the next story. Who knows, might post a celebratory finishing chapter here after finishing Rain for Tears...  
**

**Be on the look out. O.O ...**

**Anyways, I'll officially be back December 23, 2015!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	185. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 9

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Choices:** _Care in Selecting; Judgement or Skill in Distinguishing what is to be Preferred, and in Giving a Preference; Discrimination…_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

_**Memories, 3 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

Who ever thought Rin was going to be a pretty little princess and fall into line was going to be sorely disappointed. Rin was no lady and one could not turn a wild flower into a lotus just because it suited their fancy. And she was just as stubborn as InuKimi in this matter, the eight year old was not bending her will on this matter. If anything she was digging in on this matter! She would not be a lady!

_**EVER!**_

It just looked boring to her and Rin did not like the thought of being bored. So if she drove InuKimi insane with this then so be it; but Rin would be no lady. It just was not happening.

"RIN!" her name pierced the air and she winced, damn; her pets had been found out! She heard them escaping her quarters and she saw InuKimi coming at her in a swirl of furs, silk and clearly annoyed golden eyes. Perhaps she should feign innocence now, after all she was leaving next week for Edo according to her lord.

"Yes my lady?" Rin asked as she smiled innocently.

"The animals, Rin!" InuKimi said indifferently but the Lady was clearly annoyed with her. Rin was just irked that they were now out of her room before she could smuggle them out. She frowned when she saw the cat she had found earlier this winter stalk the railing of InuKimi's garden following a bird which Rin had been healing over the winter.

"They were cold my lady, I thought I could share my quarters with them this winter," Rin explained earnestly. InuKimi sighed as she rubbed her brow.

"Do not think you and I are finished discussing this." InuKimi sighed and Rin grinned.

"And Rin, a lady of the court does not smuggle animals into her quarters. You would do well to remember it," Rin stuck her tongue out at InuKimi's back. "And stick that tongue back in your mouth Rin; you are not an inu," InuKimi chided over her shoulder. Rin frowned but ran to the cat before he could eat the bird who was starting to flitter away.

Snatching up the fat cat she watched the little bird flutter into the air and fly away. She grinned as the first warm air of the spring tugged her heavy black hair, she was born around this time of year according to what she remembered of her mother and family before her first death. They celebrated her birth after the first warm wind of spring and it had her smiling remembering something so long forgotten. Turning she nearly tripped over her cat's tail and looked at the dangling, disgruntled cat in her arms. The cat was glaring at her and she grinned as she set him down then skipped off to the stables for A-Un.

* * *

Sesshomaru landed to be greeted by his slightly disheveled mother. One would not notice his mother being this disheveled unless they knew her well, but there were stray wild strands of her hair, her kimono had a few stains, and her furs were ruffled. He was amused for as his mother had requested he had stayed away for the three moons Rin was here, and now his mother had had an introduction into Rin's fearless, stubborn nature. He had a feeling the girl had smuggle pets into her quarters; Kami knew she was always finding injured animals and bringing them along in their travels.

And this, was life with Rin. She was a wild child, which was something he could accept and love about her because he did not think the woman he had once loved had ever been tamable. And this child was similar to that woman in that aspect.

"Mother," he greeted as he walked up to her. She looked a bit crossed but other than that relatively happy. Or relieved. He couldn't be certain.

"She is a handful, and a most forward child. Aside from one soothsayer I do not think I have ever met such a forward young female. She does not understand submission and she's dug her heels in on 'not being a Lady of the Court. I can see the appeal though, she is kind, graceful, mindful, willful, and respectful, she will grow into a fine young Lady of the Court if she will just take instructions. However I feel that is a lost course of action. Perhaps there will be a way for your little beloved person to win them over with her own charms rather than submitting to being a Lady because it appears the pup will not be doing that in any way."

"Hn," was all he had to answer with because there was nothing else for him to say. If he had wanted Rin to be a Lady of the Court he'd have dropped her off with a human daimyo or his mother sooner, all he wanted was for Rin to be herself. She was not so tactless as to be rude or a disgusting little thing of the forest. She was a fine young child, if a bit willful, but she was obedient and submissive for him that he did not mind, but at the same time she was not some thing for him to order about. Rin had thoughts and emotions which she expressed freely.

"Sesshomaru, I must tell you, you are treading a very dangerous road if she is to have free run of everything. However, I feel the court will love her when she is of age to meet them. If she can you and I over as a wild thing then there is no need to worry about her in the long run. I am certain she will win over even the sticklers for tradition." InuKimi appeared to have put a lot of thought into this matter; far more than he had because honestly he didn't care.

They'd either accept Rin or perish at his claws.

"Sesshomaru-sama! You're back!" both his mother and him looked over to the black head poking out of the bush in his mother's garden. His mother groaned as if she were pained but he had to fight of the smirk seeing dirt smudged on her cheek as she grinned happily with a few leaves tangled in her heavy black hair. She truly was a little wild thing, and he had to admire her audacity to play with his mother's garden.

* * *

**I Finished Rain for Tears! Yippee! And Ahead of Schedule! Now to finish up Irresistible Pain, Trying Not to Obliterate Him, and Because I Love You! Before December 23, Hopefully.  
**

**Anyways, I needed to write something happy so here's a chapter of Never Be the Same!**

**And who knows, perhaps after I finish Trying Not to Obliterate Him I'll post another chapter of this... O.O ...**

**Be on the Look Out... 0.0**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	186. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 10

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Choices:** _Care in Selecting; Judgement or Skill in Distinguishing what is to be Preferred, and in Giving a Preference; Discrimination…_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

_**Memories , 3 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

"My lord!" Rin skipped out of the bush to him and he swore he saw his mother's eyes twitch slightly and again he had to fight of his smirk at Rin's antics. This was Rin, the only reason he was not disheveled like his mother was, was simply because he had been traveling with the little wild child so she could not go about collecting injured animals. No doubt if he had lived in a single spot she'd have gathered all the animals from the forest before he could blink; she had an unusual ability to gather them even when he left her alone while he went to battle. He'd come back and if she were singing in a field with A-Un for company then he'd consider it successful in her not collecting any pets; and if he came back and she had at least four rabbits hidden somewhere he considered that normal.

Once she had smuggled a fox after them, and the funny part had been when Jaken crossed the fox and ran for his life after knocking down a bee hive.

Even he had been amused.

But that was life with Rin, she would never cease being a little wild thing, of this he had no doubts, and she was hugging a fat, disgruntled looking cat to her.

"You're back!" Rin grinned.

"You fared well, I presume," he inquired indifferently.

"Yes!" Rin grinned defiantly at his mother who looked a bit peeved at Rin's grin. However, it was clear to him, InuKimi and Rin had gotten along though there seemed to be a silent battle of wills between them at this.

"Then let's be off," he motioned for her to follow him, Rin ran after him and his mother seemed relieved as Rin chased after him. She could come with him and raise hell for Inuyasha and his pack; for he had little doubt she would. Now that she was settling into the routines he and his mother had dictated for her she would be raising hell for them. It wasn't her intention to do that but it was the inevitable for Rin. She was just a wild little thing who had the love for everything around her but there was no stopping the independent little girl when she had appeared to have been doing this since before he had taken her in.

"Are we going to Edo?" Rin asked him and he slid her a look to examine the child. She was feigning innocence, he knew that shrewd look in those dark eyes. It was that look in eyes like these which had had him hunting down Ryūkotsusei once. That Rin was so like this Rin at times he couldn't help but wonder 'what if…?' where this pup was concerned. What if this Rin was his Rin? What if she were one in the same, if she were he was never letting this Rin near that bloody well. Ever. He'd rip it apart and destroy it as quickly as he had asked for it to be created.

"Yes Rin," he answered and she just frowned a bit. Just what was this pup thinking?

* * *

So she was heading back to Edo, she didn't want to go, she didn't want to have Kaede's lessons on trusting yōkai shoved down her throat again. Especially lessons on Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru's merciless personality. However, he had to have some compassion because her lord could use Tenseiga and bring the dead to life; after all he had brought Jaken and her back to life.

"Do I have to go to Edo?" Rin asked him and thos cold amber eyes narrowed slightly giving her her answer. Damn, she had wanted to stay here or travel with her lord because she wanted nothing to do with humans. However, she knew there was no arguing with that look, there was just no way for her to get around it. If he was looking at her like that then there was no arguing with him so she would comply with him and head off to Edo, though she was required to be happy about it.

"I hate humans," she grumbled and she sensed her lord's amusement as they walked down the stairs towards A-Un who was waiting for her. At least she'd have the dragon, she was really happy with the dragon and really happy to have him as company. Sesshomaru didn't say anything to her as he flicked her with his mokomoko causing her to grin up at him and there was an amused, indifferent glint in those iced honeyed eyes.

"Race you!" Rin declared as she ran towards the dragon and leapt up into the saddle. The beast rumbled beneath her but turn to fall off the ledge, she laughed as she felt the air rip through her and then they were flying. Her lord appeared beside her, he looked at her with his indifferent mask before he lunged in front of her. Rin shrieked with laughter as she spurred A-Un into a faster pace.

* * *

InuKimi just watched as her son and his beloved person flew off and she listened to Rin's laughter as they flew away. A soft, genuine smile graced her lips as she heard a laughter she hadn't heard for centuries. That child, InuKimi sighed, so Rin was forever a wild thing. Perhaps this was something she could get to work in favor. After all, if Rin could win over her coldhearted, killer son with nothing but a smile then there was a possibility that she could charm the council.

If not…

Well then the council would have to face her wrath if the survived Sesshomaru's first. It was very clear to her that the child was never leaving her son, it was never happening. Rin belonged to Sesshomaru; even if the child didn't happen to be marked by her son. Sesshomaru belonged to Rin too, she knew this as she had watched her son with his mate. They belonged together.

And it was making her smile until she had a bird landing on her head.

"Rin!"

* * *

**Alright, this is the final of my gifts for this story until December 23, 2015!  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**

_**(= I'll Be Back December 23, 2015! =)**_


	187. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 11

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Tenacity:**_ The Quality or State of Being Tenacious; as tenacity, or retentiveness, of memory; tenacity, or persistency, of purpose…_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

_**Memories, 2 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

Rin was sitting in a tree with Shippo as they caught up on everything they had been doing over the winter. And she had also been told she would be working this coming summer because Kaede was in need of help since Kagome was gone and it appeared Kaede had just realized this. But this had led to Rin to being informed that she would be aiding Kaede. Sesshomaru appeared to think this was a good thing for her, Rin wasn't as certain because she was still a little irked at being told she would not be traveling with Sesshomaru.

"Why do you like traveling with Sesshomaru-sama?" she looked at the kitsune whom she was sitting on the branch with.

"Huh?" Rin tilted her head a little, confused by his question. Why wouldn't she like traveling with her lord? Traveling with Sesshomaru was something which made her happy and made Sesshomaru-sama happy. She knew being with her lord made him happy as well, partially because something about the mark he had given her told her that much. Sesshomaru enjoyed being with her, she knew this for an undisputable fact, and it was not something which he expressed. It was merely something which was felt, nothing more.

"Why do you like traveling with Sesshomaru-sama? Doesn't he hate humans?" Shippo explained.

"Hm, he hates everyone equally; humans, hanyō, yōkai, and daiyōkai alike; that's very obvious. But…I was alone Shippo. I was alone, and then there was Sesshomaru, and then I wasn't alone, I'm never alone with Sesshomaru-sama. I've been alone for a lone time; it feels like an eternity, but with him…with Sesshomaru-sama I'm not. He always saves me, he looks out for me, and he cares about me. Why wouldn't I like traveling with Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked.

"Huh, I never thought of it that way, it's just you're so nice and he's…not." Shippo looked sheepish then and she grinned.

"Nonsense, my lord is the kindest creature I know," Rin said dismissively and honestly. Though she knew not everyone shared her view on Sesshomaru, it was her truth. Her lord was most kind to her, and he took good care of her. And though no one would ever truly understand it, she loved him and trusted him, and held no fear for him. Not even when he was in his truest and most terrifying of forms; actually she thought him to be most beautiful in his true form.

When he was a giant white dog, with jaws dripping venom and poison, and claws which could rip her in half, and eyes so red blood paled in comparison. None were more beautiful than her lord in his true form, all of his glorious and dangerous power. Power which he would never turn on her, she had known that the first time he had ever transformed, and stood there towering over her. All she had been able to do was smile at him as she walked forward, he had snapped his jaws at her, and she had stopped but not out of fear.

Out of respect.

He was a wild animal in some way, a wild thing; like a tiger who needed respect and boundaries. Rin had deciphered his boundaries and she respected them all. Which was why she was most comfortable when traveling with Sesshomaru; she knew his boundaries. But in a human village she had no idea what the boundaries were, or how she was supposed to act with here. Rin didn't like human villages, the rules and boundaries weren't clear for her understanding.

"Shippo? What are you doing?" Rin asked as he began inspecting her head then.

"Kagome says that sometimes head injuries can affect the person, I was curious if you were injured." She swatted him away from her then while frowning and thinking of ways to explain why her lord was the only one she wanted to live with and travel. But there was no way to explain how amazing living with her lord was because she could trust him and she didn't have to wonder about his motives or what he was going to do with or to her. She was her lord's Rin, and it was a position which he held with the utmost pride.

"I do not have a head injury!" Rin snapped as she shoved Shippo out of the tree in agitation. He transformed and she nimbly used him as her landing pad before leaping off of him onto the ground and running before he could retaliate on her. He had earned being thrown off of the tree branch after that comment, and she ran for the village for Inuyasha as her protection.

"Whoa!" her arm was grabbed and she spun around to look at a bulging belly of a very pregnant woman. Carefully Rin peeked up from beneath her midnight bangs up to the taijiya and felt relief swamp her as she looked into the tawny eyes of Sango.

"Sango," Rin said politely as she hid her hands behind her back and smiled politely.

"Oh, it's you Rin," Sango smiled kindly and Rin wisely took a step back. She still had a great difficulty believing in humans and their actions where she was concerned however she did have a slight trust in Inuyasha's pack after everything Naraku had put them through.

"I was running from Shippo, before he could catch me," Rin explained while keeping her smile in place.

"Well alright, keep running then; just be careful about where you're going," Sango informed her.

"Yes Sango," Rin nodded and then she turned on her heels and continued running. She would always be aware of where she was running, she knew this because unlike most humans who were not hunters she was always aware of where she was going and what and who was around her. Very few could ever sneak up on her, it was how she had evaded all of the humans when Sesshomaru left her with A-Un and Jaken. Someone had to be paying attention because Kami knew it wasn't Jaken! Laughing she ran as she heard the kitsune chasing her.

* * *

**Thanksgiving is my Holiday; all the food, and the food, and the food; oh and did I mention the food? However, the visiting family does make me feel slightly homicidal... pesky pains in the ass! Why can't people just leave me alone!? I am not a friendly person so why can't they leave me alone?  
**

**Anyways, so as to prevent a homicide; with great reluctance because it was very tempting with how annoying relatives can be; I wrote. Writing also helped prevent me from losing my monstrous temper, I am so not a relative person; I like people I just don't like relatives apparently. Anyways, lots of writing done today around the cooking and the cooking and the eating and the cooking and the eating and the clean up. The relatives are making me have eye twitchs... However I Love Thanksgiving! So much food!**

**Well this is probably the final 'gift' from me until December 23, 2015 for this story...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**

**I'm going to enjoy getting ready for Christmas, Because There is No Way In Hell I'm Leaving This House Come Friday! I'll go out on Sunday or Monday after all the Friday and Saturday nonsense is finished.**


	188. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 12

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Tenacity:**_ The Quality or State of Being Tenacious; as tenacity, or retentiveness, of memory; tenacity, or persistency, of purpose…_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

_**Memories, 2 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

She found a good, mischievous friend in Shippo, and she didn't have to worry about it, she didn't have to worry about getting into trouble. It was possible she'd get in trouble, perhaps one day her antics would go too far but Rin didn't feel this would be the case because first someone had to catch her being devious. And face it…

That was _**never **_going to happen!

If Sesshomaru caught her up to something then he usually gave her a look of famed indifference, gave her a few tips and then left her to her own devices. If Jaken caught her, well he was all bark and no bite so she didn't worry about her. A-Un was a typically her look out. Shippo was her accomplice. Miroku and Sango; though she knew they'd love to wring her neck for some of the antics she had created; they had no claim over her in fear of Sesshomaru. Kaede had claimed her to be an apprentice but Rin just looked at the elder as an elder and to be treated with respect but Kaede did not have a claim on her. InuKimi was her lord's mother and another mentor of hers' but again, there was no power over her even when InuKimi had her, all Rin had to make certain of was to be somewhat respectful to InuKimi. And if Kohaku felt he had a claim over her then he was going to be disappointed when he fell victim to her next prank. And as to Inuyasha…

Ha! He was almost as bad as Shippo in helping her out with her pranks, which could be a good or bad thing; depending on the plan she had in mind.

So no, Rin did not worry about being punished for her antics, regardless of what they were. However she was a quiet child who wanted little to nothing to do with the villagers and did all of her chores predawn so none of the villagers would come near her. But today she had slept in by accident, and so her chores were being accomplished with all the humans up, it was not productive. A group of boys had taken to teasing and tormenting her.

"My mother says you're the whore of an inu daiyōkai," one boy teased.

"Tell us Rin, what's it like being someone's bitch?" the other demanded.

Rin just held her head up high as she carried the water Kaede needed to her hut. If she got in a fight, if she lost her temper, or if she attacked these boys she'd more than likely be attacked by villagers because she knew no one in charge of watching her would punish her. It just wasn't in their nature because she was Rin, and she was a wild thing. However, wild things; her lord had assured her; were by far the most dangerous. For some reason he always seemed amused stating the truth of that, and she didn't feel like contradicting him.

"I heard you belong to that evil daiyōkai lord, Sesshomaru-sama," the third boy said absently. She felt her shoulders stiffen and her back straighten in irritation with that statement. "My father says he's a monster who's raising you to kill you."

"My lord does not like the taste of humans," Rin replied coldly. She was essentially doing as her lord ordered and ignoring the swine around her. It wasn't until a rock sent her and the water she had spent the last few hours collecting toppling onto the dirt road that her temper rose. The feeling of blood trickling down her temple had her rolling onto her butt to snarl at the boys who were laughing at her. Baring her fangs, cracking her knuckles she stood slowly.

"Apologize," Rin snarled icily keeping her teeth bared as she stood there preparing to attack, because she was not letting this slide since they had drawn first blood. Her lord would be ashamed of her if she let this matter go after they had sliced the side of her head open.

"Ooo, so scared, what are you going to do little yōkai girl? Are you going to cry?" the ringleader mock.

"I don't cry, ever," was all she snarled. "But you'll be crying when I'm through with you!"

And with that she launched her small frame into the fray of the group and attacked with a full ferocity no one had ever thought she possessed. Teeth, claws, kicks, punches, blood, dust all came into play as she attacked. Suddenly a set of strong arms grabbed her and she was in the air.

"Let me go! Let me at them! They started it I'm finishing!" Rin shouted, she was beyond furious, and she was going to make them regret attacking her.

"Enough Rin!" she stiffened hearing that tone of voice and looked up to see Inuyasha holding her tightly to his chest. "You've done enough damage! Take a walk with Sango, I'll take those three idiots to Kaede."

"Huh?" Rin just blinked as saw her three attackers all groaning and looking rather purple with nail rakings, and teeth marks on them. She scowled.

"Go Rin, now." Inuyasha snapped sharply as he set her down.

"They started it," she grumbled as she turned on her heel and stalked off with her temper seething at having all of her hard work destroyed because of some ignorant, insignificant humans who were about as important in her life as a fly.

"Go Rin!" Inuyasha snapped, and she glared at the hanyō as she walked over to the pregnant Sango.

"Come on Rin, we'll go make a salve for that so it won't get infected and we'll have a little chat about that temper of yours'," Sango said and offered her her hand. Rin snarled at the offering for she still felt like murdering something but she relented to follow Sango who seemed uncomfortable. Before she could really think about it her temper was on the back burner; still there, but it wasn't as important.

"Are you alright Sango?" Rin asked the very pregnant woman as they walked through the forest. Sango had an expression which screamed of pain and discomfort and with how pregnant she was Rin was a little concerned. She had learned that birthing babies was a very painful task and Sango looked ready to pop.

"I'm fine Rin, now, we are going to discuss that temper of yours'. Shippo has told us that you shoved him out of a tree for teasing you," Sango said.

Rin rolled her eyes; that had happened two moons ago! However she refrained from pointing this out for it seemed that there'd be no evading the coming lecture as she and Sango resumed walking through the forest. Kami help her, this was not fun!

It was about an hour later Rin noticed another expression of pain on Sango's face as they came to the field of herbs. Rin found herself tuning out the former taijiya's lecture but watching the elder woman like a hawk. Something was up.

* * *

**I've been having fun writing up the other Parts of Never Be the Same in my spare time and I enjoy sharing this story, I truly do. However, I'm busy and haven't had time to sit down and write anything to post. Because of this I'm cheating and posting a prewritten chapter of this. Better than no updates, right?  
**

**Anyways, that's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	189. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 13

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Tenacity:**_ The Quality or State of Being Tenacious; as tenacity, or retentiveness, of memory; tenacity, or persistency, of purpose…_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

_**Memories; 2 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

"Sango? Are you alright?" Rin asked as they were walking and the elder stopped walking and stood very still as she clutched the underside of her enormous belly. Rin's eyes just looked at every minute expression of the woman; a skill she had obtained from living with Sesshomaru since he was impossible to read. So picking up on the slight cringe, the nose twich, the slight curl of Sango's lip and Rin knew, the woman was in pain.

"No!" Sango finally gasped as she doubled over and clutched her stomach as she leaned on a tree. Rin didn't panic as she gently helped Sango lay down, which appeared to be all that she wanted to do.

"What's wrong Sango, I can't help if I don't know," Rin said coldly. The woman let out a scream and Rin was cursing Miroku and Inuyasha for sending her away with a pregnant woman and no supervision. Imbeciles! She thought irritably.

"The baby," Sango gritted her teeth as she squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered in a pain Rin hoped to never expierence. "The baby," she gasped. "The baby's coming!"

"Alright, just lay very still!" Rin ordered as she gathered up her minimal child's courage and decided to peek. She had seen a fox give birth once, and honestly; how different could that be? She had even helped deliver a foal once when she had come across a distraught horse. So how different could animals and humans be?

Rin peeked.

She wanted to faint but she didn't; and she was very proud of herself for not fainting.

However, she saw a problem as she looked back up to Sango who screamed again and looked ready to cry. Rin just bit her lip as she hurried to the stream again, clean hands was something she remembered hearing Kaede say once. Well her hands were encaked with dirt and what not so it would be best to give them a thorough scrubbing. She then grabbed a stick and ran back to Sango.

"Here, bite this," Rin ordered. She didn't need the screams of a woman in labor to attract the unwanted attention of the yōkai in the area. Though she had a feeling her lord's mark (which he had once informed her was a deterrent against weaker yokai), would not be helpful in concealing a laboring woman in a vulnerable state. Also, Rin had no idea how she'd protect Sango if a yōkai came investigating.

"Rin, go get Kaede!" Sango snapped.

"There's no time, I could see the head. You are having the baby now Sango and there will be no waiting." Rin stated coldly as she let the cold fill her, this was no time to panic. Though she really, really, really wanted to.

"Rin, do you even know what you're doing?" the former taijiya demanded as Rin settled between her legs.

"Certain, you push and I catch. How hard can that be?" Rin asked sarcastically and Sango groaned. If in pain or from her sarcasim Rin didn't know nor did she much care because she had more important things to worry about. Like this baby.

* * *

"Hey, Kaede, have you seen Rin or Sango?" Inuyasha's ear twitched as he opened his eye to Miroku who was looking anxious and worried beyond compare to his normal. Inuyasha sat up.

"No, I have not. Inuyasha?" Kaede turned to him.

"Yeah, Sango took Rin after that little escapade in the village until her temper cooled off. Why?"

"No one's seen them for hours and Sango's baby is due any minute, did you not find this something to worry about?" Kaede demanded sharply and he glared at the old miko. Truthfully, the thought had never occurred to him. All that had mattered was getting Rin out of here and keeping her away from those ignorant village boys. But also before she asked him questions about the mark his brother had given her. He did not want to go about explaining that mark to the nine year old. It was too complicated to explain, also if those boys knew just what that mark meant then everything would be so much worse and he did not need to deal with her raging temper.

For whatever reason Rin had a temper on her which rivaled Kagome's and was worse than his brother's and even rivaled a few of the greatest fighters he knew. It was funny to think a nine year old had such a wide range of temperaments. She had a hot temper and then she had his brother's icy temper, neither of which he liked being on the receiving end of.

"No, Sango can take care of herself and Rin can obviously handle herself," Inuyasha said calmly as he scented the fear coming off of Kaede and Miroku. "Is there something about this which I didn't know?"

"Yes, being so close to delivery makes Sango vulnerable and she should have never left the village. We must go find them!" Kaede informed him and he was off in a bound because he knew exactly where the girls had gone. Mostly he was worried about Rin; if anything happened to his brother's human then there was going to be hell to pay and he didn't have the patience for the ensuing ass kicking.

However he was stopped short when he saw Rin and Sango emerge from the forest. Sango leaning heavily on Rin as they both stumbled awkwardly with something in their arms. At first he was confused by the scents bombarding his nose but then he dashed forward while peeling off his top layer to give to the babies he was scenting. It was too cold for babies to be out without protection; even he knew that much.

"Sango!" Miroku dashed towards her after he had scooped up both of the babies from her and Rin. Rin just looked exhausted and Kaede looked impressed.

"Miroku! Thank Kami! It hurt so much," Sango cried out as her husband grabbed her and Inuyasha looked down to Rin who looked indifferent to this whole mess. He looked at the two babies who were now crying in his arms and handed them off to Kaede before looking back to Rin.

"Kaede, do you think you can teach me to be a healer?" Rin asked and he stopped.

"Certainly child, now Sango have you delivered the after birth?" Kaede asked her and his friends stopped and Sango blushed as red as his kimono.

* * *

**Yeah, Yeah, I'm early but I've had a real shitty few weeks and it does not appear to be getting any better anytime soon so I'll write in the mean time. Else I'll go insane. Also, I'm going to be a sadist and withhold the information as to where I've hidden Rin from both you and Sesshomaru; for the time being!  
**

**_MWUAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! _㈴0 **

**It's probably for the best you don't know me and Sesshomaru's fiction...isn't it?**

**Anyways, I am pleased to announce a Christmas Special, I think ALL of you will be pleased with it... so tune in on Christmas Day! It'll be worth it, I assure you! ;)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	190. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 14

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Tenacity:**_ The Quality or State of Being Tenacious; as tenacity, or retentiveness, of memory; tenacity, or persistency, of purpose…_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

_**Memories, 2 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

Becoming a healer wasn't all that much work in her mind, most of it was common sense and learning the herbs. And after living her life on survival mode for so long she had learned about most herbs already, now she was learning to make salves, pastes, and medicine from them and the proper methods for curing the plants. Also, she was left alone again since the incident with the boys and her helping deliver Sango's twins; Kanon and Kaori had made her status as Kaede's apprentice clear; making her virtually untouchable.

She liked this, also spent a good amount of time with Shippo playing pranks on Kohaku; he was such an easy target for their pranks. However the thirteen year old was beginning to irk her, he kept pestering her to help him talk Sesshomaru into letting him join her lord on his travels. Rin did not like this thought because it meant that she had to give up her lord's attention by sharing him with the dweeb but she wasn't against having Kohaku out of the village and away from her. Even at nine she knew the way he watched her was not normal, nor appropriate; and she had half a mind to run away from the village and live alone again. She didn't like the way Kohaku watched her.

"Hey Rin," she looked up when Kohaku joined her.

"Kohaku," she greeted tersely as she continued walking while carrying the huge bowl of paste which Kaede had asked her for.

"What made you want to be a healer?" Kohaku asked suddenly and Rin frown as she stopped to look up at him. She didn't know why she had want to be a healer, she just took to it. Rather like a fish took to swimming in a stream or a bird took to the skies. It was natural for her.

"Why?" she asked him.

"Because, you don't strike me as the healer type, and with the dowry Sesshomaru-sama will give you, you will definitely be able to live a life of luxury so why be a healer? That's all I want to know," Kohaku informed her and she pursed her lips as she continued walking. There was no way to explain this to him; Kohaku was such a simple creature (rather like Master Jaken) and being such he just wouldn't understand. So she'd have to put this simply.

"It came to me, naturally," was all she said as she walked off.

She walked into Sango's and Miroku's hut and smiled at the babies who were grinning now, she loved the twins and thought they were adorable.

"Ah, Rin, here Sango, if you put this on your infected area then it should relieve some of the itching. If there is no improvement then come to me or Rin and we'll discuss this matter further. This will pass, just give it a little time though it's irritating," Kaede assured Sango. Rin didn't counter that claim as she sat beside one of the twins and let the baby suck on her finger. After a while the twin, Kanon stopped sucking her finger and Rin then began her inspection of Kaori for her health. Kaori was the sickly twin for some reason but she was getting stronger every passing day and every passing month. But soon winter was would be upon the village again and Rin would be away with her lord's mother.

And she was looking forward to being amongst yōkai again; she'd feel more at ease when she was. But for now she smiled at little Kaori who squealed at her being examined. It appeared the littler twin was becoming healthy as her sister, but Rin was still worried. The little girl's grip was not as strong as her twin, Rin opened the babe's mouth to examine the once pasty gums for their healthy pink color.

"You're becoming a fine healer Rin," Sango mused while she leaned over her shoulder.

"That's cause Kaori's just like her mama and gonna be all nice and strong and kick ass!" Rin mused as she leaned over to gently tickle the baby's stomach. Kaori squealed happily and Rin grinned.

"Ow!" Rin hissed when Kanon grabbed a fistful of Rin tangled black hair.

"And now you've made Kanon jealous," Sango mused.

"That's because Kanon's going to be exactly like her papa, and be jealous, happy, and wise," Rin decided. And with that in mind the nine year old carefully went about detangling her hair from the baby.

"So Rin, have you learned much from Kaede-sama?" Sango asked, and Rin grinned.

"Yes, much, thank you so much for helping her take me on as an apprentice," Rin said earnestly. She loved learning all about the herbs and medicines and how to help people. All she needed to do now was get bigger and stronger and soon she could be a healer rather than an apprentice; after all, setting bones was not a task for the weak. And she was going to be strong.

Besides being a healer might be useful when she traveled with her lord again, another thing she was looking forward to.

"I'll be back tomorrow with some more medicine for Kaori, but after this cycle I think we should ween her off of her medcines. The child is looking very healthy." Kaede remarked and Rin grinned as she stood up. Kaede made her leave and Rin was quick to follow.

"So tell me child, are you going to be serious in your studies as a healer or are you still leaving with Sesshomaru-sama this winter?" Kaede asked and Rin looked up to the elder as she pursed her lips. She knew Kaede did not like her traveling with her lord for some reason but the elder was going to learn that she was not the one who was in charge of her. No one besides her lord and his mother had control over her and even then she was free to do as she pleased.

"I intend to study the art of healing closely, I'm still going to InuKimi-sama this winter for she has offered me her home. Also I like yōkai," Rin said firmly as she walked ahead the old miko then. Why did no one see that her lord truly took very good care of her!? And why did no one here like him!? It wasn't as if he had killed any of them, and attempting to kill was not the same thing as actually killing someone. Also, one should be judged for their current actions, not past grievances.

* * *

**Three Days Until Christmas! =)  
**

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	191. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 15

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Tenacity:**_ The Quality or State of Being Tenacious; as tenacity, or retentiveness, of memory; tenacity, or persistency, of purpose…_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

_**Memories, 2 Years Before the Return of Kagome...**_

He hadn't seen or visited Rin since he had left her in the custody of that old meddlesome miko at the beginning of spring due to the errands he had been running for his mother; seeing as how he was taking back his claim on his true inheritance. But he was so tired from all of this that all he was looking forward to was collecting Rin and returning to his mother's home for the winter to spend the winter with Rin. Kami knew the little girl kept his dull life alive and interesting.

Rather like the woman he had once loved.

That Rin had also been very good at keeping him interested and engaged with life. But she wasn't here anymore, he thought bitterly again as he tightened his fists and then sighed. Her not being here was his fault, after all he had been the one who hadn't been able to protect his mate properly. However, nothing was going to happen to this Rin, this Rin was going to stay alive and with him until the day she died. And if she had a problem with it then that was too damn bad because there was no way he could continue living his life without her. With this in mind he landed beside the well and again peeked into it.

Half hoping she'd be there, for he could save her now with Tenseiga.

Half hoping she wasn't there for he had started to move on with his life.

The well was empty, as always, and seemed to be taunting him with this fact as he sighed and closed his eyes. That Rin was lost to him, so he'd focus his attentions on the Rin he was currently protecting. Besides, this Rin was different from that Rin in many ways that had more to do with interests than personalities or anything else really. But they appeared to be two different girls, to his relief. And he hoped that this Rin would rather do anything but be a healer and a fighter, he'd rather have her be a care taker of animals than a healer. Fighting was inevitable, and he intended to teach her fighting when she was older. Any sensible female should be able to defend herself.

Thinking this he was almost startled when he heard Rin's happy call out to him as she ran to him. He just watched the growing human skip up to him and looked her over.

"Rin," he greeted her coldly. Not that he didn't want to warm up or be kind to the child but it was more of he didn't know how to do that when he had never been a kind creature. And the girl, as always, seemed undeterred by his coldness or terseness. In fact she didn't seem to care for it never stopped her from smiling or greeting him with unrequited joy. "You have fared well, I presume?"

"Yes my lord, Kaede-sama has taken me on as her healer apprentice!" Rin informed him with enthusiasm and he felt like he had been struck by lightning with that announcement. No, his mind whispered though he was proud of her and her choice to help others. But all he could think of was the last healer, human, female whom he had loved who he had dropped down the well to her death. His whole world froze as he stared down at the happy girl who was awaiting his approval.

The problem was there was no way he could give her his approval when he did not approve of her being a healer.

He could not lose this one because she would be a selfless healer, he could not survive if that happened again. But as he stood there staring into those bright brown eyes he noted the joy she had and the purpose in those eyes. He could not damn her and take away something which brought this Rin joy; no matter how much he wanted to do that. Though he was a selfish creature by nature, there was simply no way, no possible, fucking, way he could deprive Rin; either Rins for this matter; that which brought them joy. Even if it pained him so. He just simply wasn't that much of a monster.

So instead of giving her verbal approval; like he knew she wanted; he nodded kurtly.

"You do not mind me being a healer?" the child pressed forward with the conversation; a conversation which he was not going to have with her or anyone else for that matter. But he could see she craved some kind of verbal response; he could think of none.

"Do as you please, Rin," was all he managed to say around his tight throat.

Her smile broadened and then she raced over to the kitsune she hung out with most of the time and he just watched her go. He knew she was babbling but his ears were deaf to her babble as he tried not to lose it and grab her to run away while informing her that being a healer was a very dangerous task and not one she should do.

"Kid's a natural at the healing thing," his eyes slid down to his brother who had appeared beside him.

"Hn," was his answer; for the last Rin had also been a natural at being a healer; just like Inuyasha's mother. But that was something which he was going to continue to keep to himself. He did not think that Inuyasha needed to know.

"She'll be fine Sesshomaru, I swear she's better at it than Kagome and Kikyo ever were. And they were two of the best healers I've ever met," Inuyasha said.

Sesshomaru just brushed his brother's comment because Inuyasha had no idea what he was talking about at the moment. There was simply no way for any of them to understand his genuine pains and suffering with the memories had had. However, his sole purpose revolved around making certain that girl was happy and if being a healer made her happy then he'd just have to suck it up and let her be a healer. Because there was no way he'd lose this Rin through his greedy nature, but he was also going to make certain he never lost her because she was willing to be selfless and surrender her life to save those around her. That was not going to happen to him again, she was going to live this time.

Damn it! He was no losing this Rin!

* * *

**2 Days Until Christmas!  
**

**P.S. I might miss my update tomorrow...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	192. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 16

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Evolving:**_To Unfold or Unroll; to Open and Expand; to Disentangle and Exhibit Clearly and Satisfactorily; to Develop; to Derive; to Educe…_

* * *

**Chapter 16**

_**Flowing...**_

Kagome lay there watching Rin grow and saw everything she had missed those years she was gone, she felt every conflict Sesshomaru had and the hesitance he had. She nearly laughed when he had thrown Kohaku for trying to sneak Rin's first kiss from her, and the month he had abducted her so she could learn to fight. She watched the month where Rin survived on wits and instincts; like a little animal.

She watched as Rin drove InuKimi to insanity with her defiance to be a lady, and she watched as Rin walked her path. There were other friends for Rin, friends which Kagome did not think Rin had ever mention or had but she had blown off as unimportant because Rin belonged in Edo. It turned out that every winter she was with InuKimi was a winter she was with the prim and proper Shiori from the Bat Yōkai Clan; who was apparently the new leader of her Clan with her natural ability with barriers.

There were times Rin cried, from pain, from sorrow, from her own empathy and from her own sorrow and Kagome felt every one of those as if they were her own. She sat there watching Rin as she got into mischief with Shippo against Kohaku over the years and she watched Inuyasha miss her and Sesshomaru have some empathy for the situation.

Kagome saw how her return affected everyone. How happy her friends were, how lonely Rin felt as she was again cast aside by everyone to be second to her. She was amazed the girl never felt bitter towards her, because if it had been her she'd have felt a little bitter about being second to everyone. And whenever Sesshomaru graced Rin with his presence she'd have sworn the girl won the lottery. It was as if there was nothing better in Rin's world than Sesshomaru greeting her in that cold tone, and indifferent matter then inquire how she was.

There were moments in these memories which blurred for her as they moved forward and she watched Rin grow.

The child who was into mischief without a second thought, who had love and kindness for everyone around her and had an immeasurable fear of Koga and his wolves for an unknown reason.

The preteen who snapped and snarled at all who tried to tame her, and wasn't afraid of leaping into the center of a fight or surrendering her life to save those around her.

And then there was the young teen who was about to turn fifteen and this was where Kagome felt the largest change in the memories.

The confident, quiet, calm, cold, happy, indifferent, aloof, cheerful, brave young woman Rin really was began to emerge before Kagome's eyes but this memory in particular was the change for the soon to be fifteen year old. And Kagome wondered how she had never heard this tale from Rin or how Sesshomaru had never spoken anything as again the memories slowed for her to watch Rin and Sesshomaru.

* * *

Inuyasha was slightly concerned that he could not find his wife in this maze of a home. It was a most beautiful home, even he would admit that but it was beginning to irk him that all the scents here were murky. It was like diving into murky water, you knew there was rocks, plants, fish, yōkai and threats but you couldn't see it; and he felt like that as he walked through the house of the Inu Daiyōkai.

"Are you searching for someone?" he jumped as he spun around to look at the silver Inu Daiyōkai known as InuKimi. She was striking creature, and there was no mistaking her as anyone but Sesshomaru's mother as he stood there in fear, awe, and a minute amount of respect for her.

"My mate," Inuyasha answered tersely.

"She is occupied at this moment," InuKimi informed him.

"Oh," was all he could manage to say for he was still startled with this encounter to say anything else. He frowned when he noticed the critical way InuKimi was looking him over; he really hated it when people and yōkai gawked at him; it really made him feel awkward. His ears flattened out as he curled his lip back to snarl at her.

"Enough of that, you are worse than Rin" InuKimi snapped that so firmly he relaxed immediately against his will. So she was an Alpha here too, he should've known it; what with the respect Sesshomaru demanded and expected.

"You look remarkably like InuTaisho, it's truly a striking resemblance. Not even Sesshomaru looks this much like his father, however I can see your mother in you; you have her eyes," InuKimi informed him. Inuyasha blinked in shock then.

"You knew my mother?" he asked.

"Of course, I wanted to know Rin's good friend; she was such an interesting human and I also was horribly curious to know the female who had ensnared InuTaisho's heart," InuKimi explained to him and he just blinked. "She was a kind woman, a tad bit difficult, a little weak and a lot of spoiled but she was kind and her heart was in the right place. She was never able to be brave or selfishly selfless like Rin but I could see why I lost my best friend to her. She was very beautiful too."

""You knew my mother and who's this Rin?" Inuyasha asked.

"I think the better question is who Rin was not, she was a very stubborn young woman. And yes, I knew your mother, I even offered for her to come live with the inuyōkai knowing you'd have been treated better here. But alas, it appeared stubbornness is a human trait and she refused to come here with you believing humans would be accepting of you. Izayoi had a most annoying habit of believing the best in people; wereas Rin was too cynical of people. They were very good friends," InuKimi repeated.

Inuyasha was just shell shocked with this information as he stood there blinking dumbly.

_**WHA!?**_

* * *

**Christmas Eve 2015  
**

**Blu's Letter to Santa:  
**

**Dear Santa,**

**All I want for Christmas is my family to get healthy and rewards for working my ass off for my writing.**

**Thanks!**

**Blu**

* * *

**Yes, I still believe in Santa Clause because I believe in the magic and spirit of Christmas. And at this moment a little magic would do the world some good if you asked me.**

**Oh, and to the kiddies, I have it on good authority Santa's sled is loaded and he's getting ready for take off, he's currently taxi-ing to the runway for take off... ;)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Happy Christmas Eve!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	193. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 17

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Evolving: **_To Unfold or Unroll; to Open and Expand; to Disentangle and Exhibit Clearly and Satisfactorily; to Develop; to Derive; to Educe…_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

It was going to be her fifteenth birthday come spring, she was getting so close to being sixteen she was eagerly awaiting it. The day she turned sixteen was the day she was walking off with her lord and never looking back, Rin knew this and she knew Kagome would not be happy with the decision but it wasn't her decision. There was no way she could be disappointed with traveling with her lord and Jaken for the rest of her human life.

There was simply nothing wrong with that, at least not in her eyes when she knew her lord loved her. He didn't really express this love but he loved her and she knew it and that was all that mattered to her. But did Kagome understand this? No, and much to Rin's irritation Kagome had been pushing her towards Kohaku.

And Kohaku was the last person in this life time she wanted to marry.

Did it never occur to anyone that while, yes, she did enjoy the company of Kohaku and they got along tolerably well; no she did not trust him! He had tried to kill her! And yes, she remembered every time he had tried to kill her as vividly as the days it had happened, she could never forget for it was something like the days she had died. It was unforgettable, and he could never truly earn her trust back from that. Like Koga could also never earn her trust, after all the stupid wolf was the reason she had died the first time.

Rin was just eagerly awaiting her sixteenth year and then she wouldn't have to worry about it. She would be free to do as she pleased and follow her lord around for all of her human life and hopefully continue following him in spirit. She never wanted to be parted from her lord. Never, ever, never in her life, did she ever again want to be apart from her lord, he was everything to her. And she felt he knew this.

Thinking this Rin hadn't even noticed her white, tan and purple hanyō friend running towards her with outstretched arms.

"Rin!" Shiori shouted happily.

"Hello!" was all Rin managed as she was slammed into the ground with a tackle hug and the girls were laughing like loons. Ever since she had been nine she and Shiori had become very good friends every winter. Shiori was here with InuKimi to receive proper training in leading a clan because the Bat yōkai Clan had declared her their leader and she didn't know a thing about it.

"Hi Shiori," Rin mused once they were both up and then Shiori and she were off, arm in arm.

"You would not believe how incredibly dull it is here without you," Shiori exclaimed. Rin laughed for that was the same line she had been receiving since she was ten and returned from her summer of Sesshomaru's instructions in fighting and surviving in the wild. She excelled at both, she failed epically at being a lady though.

"You say that every year," Rin answered as they got their hips swaying in motion and their steps in time while walking with silly grins on their faces. This was the only time Rin felt like she fit in the world, when she was surrounded by hanyō and yōkai alike, this was where she belonged. She had no place in the human world and the only one who hadn't figured that out was Kagome. Much to Rin's irritation; everyone in Edo (including dimwitted Kohaku) knew she did not belong in a human village or with humans really.

"Because it's true every year. You truly have no idea how dull the summer is without your company, I have Sōten for company and she's not much company because she's so serious about her studies! And then she leaves when the leaves turn and I'm alone here, it's so terribly boring!" Shiori informed her and again Rin laughed as they walked.

"So, any plans this fine winter?" Rin asked eagerly and her purple eyed friend brightened.

"Yes! InuKimi-sama is taking us both to the Continent to meet InuTaisho's mother's and to see Sesshomaru-sama's inheritance after she passes," Shiori informed her.

"Ah, yes, my lord already mentioned this and told me I am to be on my best behavior or he'll poison me," Rin said absently recalling the conversation they had had when they were coming here. It wasn't as if he'd actually follow through with the threat but considering he had actually threatened her meant he was serious about her behavior. Rin had vowed she'd be a proper lady and would bring honor to him and the Inuyōkai Clan. It had satisfied him to hear that from her so they had left the topic alone.

"Yes, my lady said something to that affect too, but I'm excited we'll be out of here for the winter! We, well I, never get to go anywhere so this is exciting Rin! You should be happier about this, aren't you meeting your mate's grandmother, isn't that exciting!?"

"Huh!?" Rin blinked stupidly at the term mate.

"Ah, Kami! Rin! Pay attention, this is an important trip and you are not to bungle it up. If you do, you will not need to worry about your lord poisoning you or our lady skinning you for I will have you human head!" Shiori snapped seriously and Rin frowned.

"I doubt you could remove my head from my neck even with your hanyō strength!" Rin snorted and Shiori gasped then glared as if she were the appitumy of the netherworld; or a bee.

"Rin, you are lucky you happen to be my bestest and truest of friends, else I'd take offense!" Shiori teased her and Rin grinned ruefully.

"Well as a good friend of yours, let me tell you that this pink is doing nothing for you!" and with that Rin took off running and laughing as Shiori let out and explosive outburst of unladylike curse out then tore after her. It couldn't be helped! Could it!? Rin didn't care as they laughed while chasing one another through the home of their lady who yelled at them to knock it off and that ladies did not act this way. But Rin didn't really care, after all…

She was no lady.

She was her lord's Rin and a wild thing at that!

And it was staying that way!

* * *

**Merry Christmas! ✴  
**

**I Tried to Update Everything. Sorry that didn't happen, but I hope you like everything else! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	194. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 18

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Evolving: **_To Unfold or Unroll; to Open and Expand; to Disentangle and Exhibit Clearly and Satisfactorily; to Develop; to Derive; to Educe…_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

"To the continent," InuKimi informed her icily and Rin frown.

"I know but why do I need to pack so much?" Rin asked as she continued her packing, she didn't want to force the task onto the already busy servants. She would never get used to having the servants, after all she was nothing more than an orphan girl from the middle of nowhere. She was nothing special, she was merely Sesshomaru's ward and to be treated as a princess, but she was no princess in the grand scheme of things.

"Because, Xui is expecting you to learn about Sesshomaru's inheritance and she is a traditional creature who expects you to be dressed properly at all times. That will include footwear Rin," InuKimi informed her sharply. Rin refrained from rolling her eyes at the announcement. Of course she'd have to wear something on her feet, not a thrilling thought for her because it was as if she were severed from a connection to the elements which she relied on to live.

"I understand, my lady, I'll be a perfect little lady," Rin assured InuKimi in a serious tone.

InuKimi gave an unladylike snort then which had Rin frowning as she continued her packing.

"Rin, I have faith that you can pull off being a lady for a moment but you will have to be a lady for the duration of this entire winter which means you are not to be free to be you, and that is where I am concerned. You are not allowed to engage in duels, you're not permitted to go hunting, you will not be permitted off the grounds, and Rin for the love of Kami do not adopt eight new animals!" InuKimi pleaded desperately.

"My lady, I, Rin, vow to be on my best behavior or incur the wrath of the Netherworld. I vow to only break this vow if I am kidnapped, and am in immediate danger, alright?" Rin asked sweetly hoping to sooth InuKimi's worries. Amber eyes eyed her suspiciously.

"Alright, but only in cases of life and death can you break your vow of being a lady else you will suffer my wrath and the wrath of Xui."

"Agreed," Rin nodded her head. "Besides, Xui cannot be that terrifying, Sesshomaru-sama is far more intimidating than one old lady inu daiyōkai."

"Rin, child, where do you think Sesshomaru got his temper?"

"You," Rin answered honestly only for InuKimi to walk away laughing and left her standing ther completely and utterly confused. Honestly Rin had a tougher time keeping up with yōkai and human creatures than she did a mute Sesshomaru and jabbering Jaken. Talking creatures were confusing to her, and with this in mind she worked on packing what she would need to go to the Continent for the winter. a less than thrilling prospect in her as she packed. She had hoped to never go to the Continent, it was not going to be fun.

Though she loved adventures and traveling she did not like having to deal heavy traveling. Rin picked up her dagger, despite what her lady wanted her lord had ordered her to never be anywhere unarmed. Ever. And his orders always superseded her lady's orders because Rin only reported to her lord, everyone else who she was told to she answered to was only after her lord. With this in mind she strapped the on her right arm, she may have been right handed but she was trained to use her left just as well as her right.

Thinking this she finished her packing, the servants collected her stuff as she walked out of the room towards the Cimmerian Chariot which was waiting for her with Shiori and InuKimi awaiting her. Her lord was holding A-Un's reigns. Rin smiled slightly at the simple sight of her lord, he could always make her smile and never do anything to her or for her. He merely had to be there for her to make her smile.

"My lord!" Rin greeted happily once she was standing in front of him.

"Rin, are you riding or traveling with my mother?" her lord asked, Rin looked to his mother who was standing there indifferently and Shiori looked very much so like a princess. Rin just looked at Sesshomaru as she approached him. He did not say anything as she took the reins from him as she gracefully pulled herself up onto A-Un.

"Ready!" Rin declared, then she glanced her lord who had a devilish glint in his eye which made her smile widely as she situated herself comfortably on the dragon. "And race ya!" she squealed as the dragon leapt over the edge.

She let out a whoop of wild laughter as the winds sliced through her hair and body was pressed against A-Un. She couldn't stop her smile against the feel of freedom. Looking over her shoulder she laughed as her lord appeared beside her, there was a smirk on his lips when he caught up beside her, she smiled and he lunged forward, past her.

"Keep up Rin," her lord called coldly over his shoulder as she urged A-Un forward, she felt a little spurt of amusement which was stomped out by her desire to win their race.

* * *

InuKimi felt like palming her face as she watched them race off. Leave it to that little human to unleash her son's competitive side, for only Rin was ever truly capable of doing that. She felt like killing the human on occasion because of that but she refrained. No one ever made her son act like that besides Rin so she refrained from killing or maiming the human. However it did not help ease her nerves towards meeting up with InuTaisho's mother, the fearsome Xui, with that little wild thing of a human refusing to be tamed. Oh if only InuTaisho had known this Rin, he might've been impressed with her as well as the other Rin and Izayoi.

However she did not think Xui would be all that impressed with the wild little human.

* * *

**My New Years Resolution:**

**Finishing the following stories in order:**

**January:**

**-Irresistible Pain**

**-Until the Day I Die**

**-Only Tears**

**-Because I Love You**

**February:**

**-Trying Not to Obliterate Him**

**-How to Train Your Arrancar**

**March:**

**-Cast Adrift**

**-Conceal, Don't Feel**

**-Still Hate You**

**-Wrong Number, Don't Hang Up!**

**April**

**-Shattered**

**-Weapon XII**

**.**

_**Never Be the Same Is NOWHERE Near Done... I Did Say This Was No Short Story...**_

**Eh, I'm trying and apparently I'll be having a few other obligations which my big mouth have landed me in. You know, when you joke about stuff for twelve years with people you NEVER expect them to take it seriously! And then one day they turn into 'Yes Men' and say yes, you brush it off because said party is on pain meds and then a few weeks after said joke they bring it up seriously and are looking forward to it... **

**That's pretty much how I've landed myself into next year's obligations. Fricking pain meds! And I'm not even the one taking the meds! Oh well, I said I'd do it so I'll do it which means my schedule is up in the air. But I'm completing everything around all my other obligations.**

**But this is my New Year's resolution.**

**Starting tomorrow...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**

**Oh and WOO-HOO! 900+ Reviews! YIPEE! =D**


	195. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 19

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Evolving: **_To Unfold or Unroll; to Open and Expand; to Disentangle and Exhibit Clearly and Satisfactorily; to Develop; to Derive; to Educe…_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

It was at the end of a day of flying when they were nowhere near the continent but near the coast that they stopped for the night. Shiori and InuKimi needed to stretch their legs, and Rin's but was throbbing after racing Sesshomaru all day on A-Un. Never in her life had Rin ever felt that out of shape but as she rubbed her very sore butt at this moment she felt very out of shape. She'd take the Cimmerian Chariot tomorrow when they crossed the ocean, she'd hate to fall into the water and be swept away. But still, she couldn't help but admire the power of the ocean even when it was at peace and doing nothing more than lazily lapping at the shore.

"It's beautiful here my lord," Rin informed Sesshomaru as she stood beside him letting the wind dance through her already tangled mass of hair. The cold salty air did not bother her and it felt familiar to her as she stood there looking at the dying glitter of the sun on the waters. Perhaps in a different life she had been here, but she didn't know. Rin did not completely disbelieve in reincarnation but at the same time she did not believe wholeheartedly in reincarnation.

"It is," he replied softly. She peeked up at her lord again to see a distant look on his expressionless face, again she couldn't help but feel the sorrow rolling off of him as they stood here together. Perhaps he had lost someone he loved here, or perhaps it was an old memory. After all, her lord had lived and would live much longer than she ever would. Quietly Rin slipped her hand in his as they stood there. His fingers hesitantly curled around hers' and she squeezed his hand reassuringly as they stood there in companionable silence. There was nothing but the wind, the crashing of the ocean against the shore and breathing with the distant cry of seabirds to listen to as they stood there. Sometimes it was not the things which were said but rather the unsaid things, like now.

"I heard the chariot, my lord, I'll start a fire for the evening meal. The human is starved!" Rin chuckled as she pulled reluctantly away from him and hurried off before he could say anything. She was up the shoreline though when she looked back at her lord, he did not move as he stood there staring at the sea. Rin bit her lip feeling a sorrow for him. He was always so lonely, as a child she hadn't really noticed it but she had felt it, and now that she was older she couldn't help but wonder who had left him to feel so lonely. It most certainly was not his father, and she knew it wasn't his mother and she didn't think he had had a great love so she couldn't help but wonder.

Who?

Who had touched her lord's heart so thoroughly that he was always so alone now? If Rin knew the answer perhaps there would be a way to make him feel better, to heal him but she did not know how to ask him. There was also a new part of her which was selfish and greedy that only wanted her lord for herself, she did not want to share him with anyone, not even a ghost of someone. And if she knew who he had loved then she would forever be fighting a ghost for his love, and she did want his love.

All Rin had ever wanted to do in her life was to give her love to her lord, but now that she was growing up and recognizing those human parts of her heart; a greedy part of her wanted more. It was a part of her which she was not proud of, but it was a very greedy and dark part of her, which craved to have his love and it had only recently developed. Rin did not like this part of her but she was coming to accept it. Perhaps if she could accept it then she would not need or crave her lord's love, just as he certainly seemed to not need hers'. Still, Rin would love him for she had avowed when she was a mere toddler that she would forever love her silver dream friend with eyes of gold.

"Rin! You should never race off like that!" Shiori shouted as she ran out of the chariot in a flurry of white hair and silks.

"Hello!" Rin gasped as she was once again tackle hugged to the ground and they went sprawling into the loos grass.

"Do Not Ever Do THAT Again Human! You Could've Died Rin!" Shiori shouted in her ear as she sat on Rin's stomach. The white, tan, purple hanyō scowled down at her and Rin burst into insane laughter. It was hilarious to her that the hanyō, a hanyō who was very similar to Inuyasha on the indestructible scale because of her daiyōkai father, was terrified of a human breaking. And Rin was not very good at fearing human fears despite her hanyō friend who tried to make her realize them.

"I swear you were a hanyō in a different life or a yōkai because you're too fearless for a human!" Shiori hissed at her. Rin couldn't stop her laughter.

"Shiori! Rin! You Two Are Acting Very Improper! Young Ladies Of The Court Do Not Tackle One Another!" InuKimi shrieked and Shiori and Rin were in another bought of laughter as they sprawled out on the grass laughing hysterically. It couldn't be helped if you were to ask Rin, but as she lay there catching her breath and Shiori was beside her she looked at a pair of black boots then let her gaze wander up to a set of ice honey eyes watching her blankly and indifferently.

"My lord!" Rin grinned as she got to her feet.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Shiori gasped.

"You should eat," was all he said as he walked off. Rin snickered as she followed him and then proceeded to make a fire to cook some of their packed meats. It was a good thing she didn't have to go hunting at this hour; Shiori was liable to maul her.

"Smells wonderful, you had better share this time Rin," Shiori informed her promptly as she appeared.

"Of course, because unlike you I actually know how to cook," Rin teased as they sat by the fire and began devouring their meal. Rin glanced over to her lord who was looking wistfully at the ocean. She couldn't help but resent the person who had made her lord so lonely because he was such a good person. How could anyone leave her lord alone to feel this lonely? She wondered irritably as she walked to him after her meal. again there were no words exchanged between them as she stood with him. Eventually she fell asleep at his feet trying to chase away his loneliness. She never wanted her lord to feel lonely again.

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**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	196. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 20

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Evolving: **_To Unfold or Unroll; to Open and Expand; to Disentangle and Exhibit Clearly and Satisfactorily; to Develop; to Derive; to Educe…_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

Sesshomaru could never explain it, he just couldn't and it wasn't even that he didn't want to explain it, there was simply no way for anyone to truly understand the depth of loneliness when he was here. It was only when he reached the shores that he ever felt small, alone, and lost. It was Rin's doing, he knew that, both Rins viewed life as one big grand adventure and when he reached the shorelines he remembered those times when he was younger. Those plans he had made, those dreams he had held to himself in fear of losing Rin completely by scaring her off.

But now he realized he could never scare Rin off, she'd have gone with him in a heartbeat and she'd have never looked back.

Looking up the shoreline he saw the fire and heard Rin and Shiori talking animatedly and his mother was talking with a few of her servants. His heart warmed at the sight of the teenager who was laughing as she cooked and joking about being human. This Rin, this one, would never leave him and he knew it in his heart that this one would walk through hell to be with him and she had. It was safe to entrust her with his heart, because she did not make him feel alone. Which was a novel concept as he watched her teasing her friend.

This Rin was so like the one he had lost, the one he had to let go, the one he craved. But this one was staying with him. The thought was all he needed to feel at peace.

A sharp stabbing pain in his chest had him wincing internally as he stumbled back a few steps and was again reminded of Magatsuhi. Snarling slightly he tried to shake off the pain as he leapt into the air to find a private area to examine the mark again. He did not fear the mark, he did not particularly like the mark but he did not fear his curse or his fate. If he died after this Rin then he'd again be with both of them and he could apologize to Rin for letting her go all those years ago and he could tell this one that though he loved her his heart belonged to the other. It wasn't fair but it the truth. With this in his mind he slowly began undoing his armor, carefully setting it aside in the safety of his solitude to pull back the silks he wore to examine the mark. He peeled off his entire top half of layers and garments of to see the mark.

It was spreading, and internally he cursed at seeing the black mark spreading like a spider web over his heart. He wondered if there was a way to slow the curse, to dim the pain, to have more time but he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

"My lord!" he turned his head to see Rin standing in the moonlight staring at the curse mark.

"It's nothing Rin, go back to the camp," he ordered indifferently bending over to gather his robes to again conceal the curse from Rin. However it appeared the little human was quicker than he thought for she grabbed his wrists before he could do anything and stepped nearer to him. Her eyes were level with the curse mark.

"The hell this is nothing, this is a serious poison my lord," Rin said firmly as she released his wrists. He wanted to shove her away, conceal his fate from her but there was a look in those dark eyes lit by the moonlight that reminded him of so long ago. Before he knew what she was doing her slim fingers were on his skin, it burned and he hissed. She tried to pull her fingers away when he pulled them over the mark. It felt good, too good, and familiar. Those dark eyes looked up at him innocently and he wanted, he craved to kiss her like he had caught Shippo and Kohaku trying to do but he didn't dare to move. He didn't dare to let her go as it felt like, for the first time in a long time, time had stopped again and in a good way.

"My lord," Rin whispered softly and suddenly he heard her, and he could see her as he leaned over the slight frame of this Rin. Her head was tilted back, her eyes had fluttered shut and he was a breath away from kissing her. And Kami above did he ever want to as his own free claws slid through that tangled black hair. It all felt too good, too familiar, too perfect for him as they just stood there together a whisper apart.

"No," he whispered harshly. The girl looked startled but it really was for her own good that he didn't proceed to actually kiss her. For if he did, then there was just no chance in hell that he'd keep his word to Kagome and let Rin have a choice in her life. He wanted Rin to feel as if she were free to choose her own path, to make her own way, to live her life, but it was all an illusion. An illusion he'd shatter to pieces if he kissed her right then, and Kami did he ever want to.

"My lord, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" she started as her eyes widened as if it just dawned on her what had about happened.

"You are fine Rin, there are promises to keep though and I do not break my promises, for now," he informed her.

"Oh, still, I'm sorry. May I see the curse though?" Rin asked and he stood to his full height, releasing her slim fingers from his grasp against his will and he let her do as she pleased. Rin's finger gently traced the curse and he felt like moaning and melting into the familiarity of this touch, a touch he had not indulged in in nearly two hundred years. It felt like Nirvana or as close as he was ever to get and he so desperately wanted his human to turn sixteen so he could just take her.

He wanted her, he wanted to have her again and never let her go.

"This is serious, my lord, have you talked with yōkai physicians?" Rin asked him as her fingers continued testing his flesh.

"No," he answered honestly, though he'd have preferred to not answer her at all. But he could never lie to Rin, never, he had tried and failed miserably to do just that as a pup, what made anyone think he had improved at lying to Rin in five hundred years?

"Alright, I will keep this quiet. But I request your permission to look for cures to this type of curse," Rin said as she looked to him. Again he stilled her hand over his chest as they just stood there in silence. He wanted to just stay there like this with her, to keep her there for a little longer. It felt good.

"Do as you please Rin," he answered not letting her go.

"Yes my lord, I will tell no one; I promise." There was a tone in her voice which had his lips twitch a bit in a smirk. Of course she wouldn't tell anyone, it was imperative she not tell anyone for they both knew he had to remain strong and invulnerable.

"Alright Rin," he said softly and suddenly she was wrapped around him. Her head resting on his chest as she held him and he just stood there shocked at her unexpected actions.

"I love you," she whispered and he wasn't certain he heard her right as she disappeared towards the camp again. However he couldn't stop the smirk from gracing his lips as he ignored the stabbing pain of the curse and the ghost of memories while pulling his robes and armor on again. Everything settled a bit again when he again slid Tenseiga into his sash.

She loved him.

That fact seemed to also take away some of the stabbing pain of the curse. And she had admitted it so softly he'd have missed it, but she had admitted it.

She was his for forever now.

* * *

**I don't think I say this often, but I think you as readers should know that the reviews, favorites, and follows, they all mean a lot to me and they've been helping me through a really tough time. My life hasn't been great these past few months, and writing is my only sanity lately so thank you for the support and the reviews, they've meant an awful lot to me. Thanks for the support and Thanks again for just simply reading Never Be the Same.  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	197. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 21

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Impressions:** _The Act of Impressing, or the State of Being Impressed; the Communication of a Stamp, Mold, Style, or Character, by External Force or by Influence…_

* * *

**Chapter 21**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

Rin just frowned as she sat in the Cimmerian Chariot listening to InuKimi's instructions as she had her robes and hair done for her grand impression on Xui. At nearly fifteen you'd think she'd have earned a bit of leeway and trust with InuKimi but it appeared Rin was sorely mistaken in that regard. And as she absently listened to Sesshomaru's mother as her hair was detangled; painfully and thoroughly; about how she was to act while they were in court. The only thought in Rin's mind was she hoped she did not trip on the first meeting for InuKimi had avowed to give her a death of a thousand deaths if she embarrassed the Inuyōkai Clan.

Besides, it wasn't like she was Kagome, or something, and would argue or lose her temper in the first meeting of Xui; did no one realize this? Despite what they all seemed to think not all near fifteen year olds were as dramatic as Kagome. And there was the other matter which seemed to be eluding them and that was the fact that Rin was her lord's Rin, a position which she held with the utmost pride and confidence. It gave her a confidence which she knew no other fourteen year old girl; nearly fifteen; possessed in Edo. Then again, it could've been that very confidence which was the reason she wasn't married like most of the other girls her age.

But then there was Rin's other mission, she was going to find out more about her lord's curse, and she knew that the people of the East would have the most information about curses and poisons. She knew this because they were apparently a highly superstitious lot and a very traditional lot; where as her own people were traditional and not nearly as superstitious as them. Which was hopeful to her because she did not think InuKimi's extensive library would have the information she needed to learn about the black spider web curse growing from her lord's heart.

Rin sat there in the Cimmerian Chariot pondering this as she thought of the million ways around InuKimi to get to the information she would be in need of. And sadly, it wasn't like she could leapt through the Bone Eater's Well to Kagome's time to demand the answers and cures she claimed her time would hold. But Rin didn't care, she was cunning enough to get the answers she'd need and with this in mind she let herself listen to InuKimi's rambling as a servant did her heavy mass of hair up elegantly then began helping her change into her formal kimono which would best show her off.

It amazed her that InuKimi thought of these things, but then again her lord had given her hordes of kimonos with the same thought in mind. Thinking of her lord made her blush slightly as she remembered that moment with him in the woods when she had first see his curse mark and he had grabbed her fingers as they touched it. She didn't know what had been going on, but everything in the world had stopped and everything had felt so intense, and perfect and wonderful as her eyes had shut. He had been close, she remembered that, she could feel his breath a whisper away from her lips and she had wondered if he was about to kiss her.

Kohaku and Shippo, both, had tried to steal a kiss from her but never before had she felt a moment in her life when she had felt like being kissed. She wondered if it would feel as good as the village girls had whispered it would. Then he had whispered the one word which had shattered the moment and pulled her back to the reality in which she resided in. Again she was reminded he was her lord and she was nothing more to him than his ward, she had been horrified then about her thoughts and her intentions as she had stuttered out her apology trying to escape.

But he hadn't let her fingers go.

Instead he had explained to her softly that he didn't break his promises and she hadn't understood what that meant. But she understood the desire she saw in those golden eyes, it was a look she had seen in enough men's eyes to know. Instead he had let her resume her examining of his curse mark and she made a mental note to ask him how he had gotten it, later; and then she had hugged him. Before she could stop herself she had whispered her one dark secret; a secret which she hid in the depths of her soul because he would not like her admitting to it.

She had whispered she loved him.

Mortified though she had run off and hadn't dared to peek at him for the past three days. Instead she had taken the coward's way out and chosen to travel with InuKimi and Shiori to avoid him. It was working too, much to her near fifteen year old logic's disappointment. A small part of her, a part which Rin often times chose to ignore and pretend was not there, wanted him to grab her and tell her he loved her too. But she was also terrified of the consequences of if he ever verbalized the fact he at least cared about her, the thought was terrifying and exhilarating to her teen mind and she hated it.

She hated being reduced to one of those useless village girls dreaming about a man she couldn't have. Rin had always felt she was better than that, and not because she had Kohaku, and Shippo, and a few other boys who's names she couldn't remember, after her, but rather because she didn't feel she needed a man to feel whole. Even if her lord never said what she was to him she was content and happy with him, even if she were to be an old maid who never had a baby because she happened to love a man who would never dare to touch her because she was human.

Yes, Rin had always felt she was better than that small, petty, hormonal side of her near fifteen year old mind.

However as a moment from last night proved, she was obviously not better than that much to her disappointment. It was so frustrating to know this! She hated knowing this because she didn't want to be like all the other girls in the world and want stupid things that were out of her reach. And her lord was so beyond her grasp that it was laughable. Sighting Rin resumed her half listening to InuKimi as they put the finishing primping touches on her face as they neared Xui's palace.

Here's to hoping for a good first impression, she mused darkly.

Perhaps her lord would even like how she looked. Granted she felt ridiculous but she wanted him to notice her, even if it was only a small part her that craved his attention and heart. Again she shook her head of these thoughts as the chariot landed. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin defiantly and looked to InuKimi.

"You both look beautiful, but Rin, please! Be on you're very best behavior!" InuKimi pleaded with her desperately.

"Yes my lady, I will be on my very best behavior," Rin promised and she just hoped she didn't trip.

After all she did not wear these uncomfortable shoes often, nor did she walk in them often. She felt reassured slightly though with her dagger up her right sleeve but it wasn't enough to quash her worries about this moment.

_**Kami, Please Don't Let Her Trip! **_

* * *

**Good Morning Everyone! I'm going back to sleep after this but I woke up, randomly, couldn't sleep so I decided to write. Oh well, who needs sleep anyway? Right!? Anyways, I just wanted to remind you that this section of the story is memories Kagome's viewing (feeling?) through the Meido Stone at the moment, just in case you forgot; I did for a moment, so I felt a reminder was in order. However this is an important Part of the story, promise! ;)  
**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	198. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 22

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Impressions:** _The Act of Impressing, or the State of Being Impressed; the Communication of a Stamp, Mold, Style, or Character, by External Force or by Influence…_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

_**CRASH! BOOM! BANG! CLANG!**_

"Ow," a voice said meekly and Xui lifted her brows at this as she looked down her hall at the sight before her. InuKimi, Sesshomaru, a small white haired female and several of InuKimi's servants were all there but the sight which truly caught her eye was not her hated, useless daughter-in-law.

No the sight which caught her old amber eyes' attention was the sight of small human female tangled with her General, Wu, and his son, Zhong, and all of the battle plans for the current war now scattered about her grand hall. The sight had her eyes narrowing dangerously as she lost her decorum and stalked towards the offender who had dared to knock over her General, and his son.

"Sorry, Sorry, Hold Still, Don't Move, I'm Getting Up, Oof," were all melded together until she stood before them. Wu looked nervously to her as he stood sending his son, and the girl tumbled to the floor. The girl shoved Zhong off of her as she sat up and Xui moved past Wu as she then spoke the native tongue of the people who her son had adopted as his own.

"And who are you? And what made you think you had the right to disrupt my Court, and trip my General?" Xui demanded. The human just gave her an indifferent look, Xui cracked her old knuckles as she let the poison accumulate on her claws to scare the girl. The girl just ignored her as she got to her feet in a tangled mass of silks as she stood straight. Xui glared into a dark set of eyes which glared right back into her own, so this human had spirit did she? Xui would break this child, and feed her to the wolves for her defiance.

"I am My Lord's Rin, and I did not think I had the right to trip into your Generals, I know I did." The girl said sharply and Xui lifted her brows. "And, my lady, if you intend to poison me, then you should know I intend to gut you," and with that Xui felt a slight pressure on her abdomen. Looking down she found herself looking at a dagger as all of her guards reacted swiftly by pointing their weapons at the girl. However when Xui looked back into those dark eyes she saw no fear, only insult.

"Rin!" InuKimi and the white haired girl shouted.

"Yes my lady?" Rin answered.

"Remove the dagger, and Sesshomaru stop giving her the daggers!" InuKimi snapped and Xui watched as the girl looked to her grandson before she slipped the dagger up her right sleeve and folded her hands. Xui just snarled slightly, the girl didn't react though as she stood there with the weapons pointed at her. Sesshomaru came over though and she looked up at the spitting image of her lost son, his name had been Toga before he had changed it to claim the name InuTaisho.

"Xui, meet Rin, Rin, my grandmother, my father's mother; Xui," Sesshomaru said simply.

"A pleasure to meet you my lady," and with that Rin bobbed her head slightly as if to bow but it was then that the sight on the girl's neck had Xui's eyes narrowing further and more dangerously. Just who was this Rin? Xui did not like this little hellion, there was something untamed about this little human which she did not like.

However there were more pressing matters for her to be concerned with. The spy for one thing, and there was the long standing war to win. And if this girl had the mark she thought the girl had then there was only further complications for her because she had all intentions of utilizing Sesshomaru's time here to get him married. If he would fight for his father's family again then they'd once again have the Great Dog Blood in the fight, and all of those family secret traits and weapons to come with him. But first she needed to find out the true relationship between this Rin and her grandson before moving forward with her plans.

* * *

Rin just frowned as they made it through the rest of the afternoon, she couldn't shake this feeling that she was being glared at. Well, both InuKimi and Shiori had been glaring warnings at her all day but it was someone else. Rin felt like she was being watched and she didn't even know why, as she walked to her quarters with her handmaid Qing. Something else was going on here, something beneath the surface and illusion of perfection. And Rin had a feeling it had to do with those plans she had scattered around when she had tripped on her skirts; it wasn't her fault! She did not wear or walk in shoes often enough to have a proper balance for them or comfort!

Anyway, there was also something unnerving in the way Xui had looked her over. Over all Rin felt uncomfortable here and it was not the language barrier which had her unnerved. There was something going on here, and she wanted to know what it was because Rin did not like threats in the shadows. They were rather like Naraku and came up to rear their ugly heads at the most inconvenient times.

"Tell me, how long are you here for?" Qing asked and Rin looked up to the young silver handmaid Xui had told her was hers' to instruct.

"Until my lord decides to leave," Rin shrugged. At least that was how she was viewing it because she was staying here with her lord with how uneasy she was feeling. She'd rather be with him so she knew he was safe than be away and safe. Her safety meant little to her.

"Oh, well, these are your quarters Rin, just ring if you should need me." And with that Qing left her alone. Rin just looked about the quarters and fell on her newly appointed bed. Too soft, she thought as she then sat up and began peeling off the uncomfortable formal garb.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	199. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 23

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Impressions:** _The Act of Impressing, or the State of Being Impressed; the Communication of a Stamp, Mold, Style, or Character, by External Force or by Influence…_

* * *

**Chapter 23**

_**Memories; 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

The next week for Rin was complete and utter hell! She couldn't possibly get anything done that she needed to get done since she spent nearly three hours a day just getting ready to be presentable to the Court only for her to sit by her lady all day and listen matters which had nothing to do with her or what she needed to be doing. Rin was only here because she was expected to be here but while she was here she intended to get some useful work done here.

And honestly knowing that the Dogs were warring with the Dragons, Monkeys, and the Pigs didn't mean much to her. And neither did the alliance between the Tigers and the Dogs, and she really couldn't have cared less about what the status of the other Great Houses were because she was only here because it was expected of her. Besides, it wasn't like she'd be here for a war, or kidnapped to be used as leverage against her lord. Her lord had made it very clear that he did not intend to live here or take over his father's lands here so she didn't have to worry about it. And because of that she was making today a day where she researched her lord's curse.

At least that was what she was planning this morning as again her habits woke her just before the break of dawn. Combing her hair she braided it for the day as she slipped on one of her more practical and comfortable kimonos before hurrying out of her quarters before Qing could show up to get her ready for the day. Silently Rin slipped through the halls looking for the library where there would be a records and information she needed. And despite what her lady thought she did pay attention to all of her lessons which involved reading, writing and translating.

With this in mind Rin found the library she was looking for as she slipped into the large room and was impressed with the sheer amount of stuff here. With all of the scrolls and books here she could be in this library forever looking for the answers she needed and never find them in this lifetime. Quietly Rin began her search for what she might need.

All she knew was the basics of what Magatsuhi was, she had never really questioned what the Shikon no Tama really was or what it's true power was but she knew the basics. And with the basics she felt she could build from there.

There were two spirits residing within the Shikon no Tama: Naohi, who was supposedly the light within the Shikon no Tama and Magatsuhi, who she had had the displeasure of meeting and being abducted by. One spirit was said to be good, and the other was the apitimy of evil. Thinking this Rin began to carefully go through the scrolls on the dark magics of the yōkai world, there were many to her shock. Who knew the yōkai were so versed in magic and the dark arts?

Rin bit her lip as she read over a dozen scrolls but none of them spoke of what she needed.

"What are you doing in here!?" a voice boomed, she ignored it as she slipped the scrolls back where she had found them and then she turned to look into a set of silver eyes which were vaguely familiar.

"I am a healer and I am here to learn. What are you doing here?" she retorted sharply as she finished putting the scrolls away then gathered up the next batch of scars. The young dog demon was standing there looking completely befuddled at her immediate retort and sharp tone. Rin ignored this behavior as she took her seat again, folding her legs beneath her as she began looking over the scrolls for hints as to how to save her lord. This was a very important mission for her and she would not fail her lord.

"I am here to gather the battle plans, I am Captain Zhong of Her Majesty's Army," he informed her as he towered over her then. Rin's dark eyes flicked up to him and then she resumed scanning her scroll for what she might need.

"A pleasure to meet you Zhong, I am Sesshomaru-sama's Rin," she supplied without a bow of her head or a look towards him as she continued ignoring him.

"You're that human!" he gasped.

"Depends on what human you would be referring to," Rin answered dryly then her lips curled as she finally read a reference to the Shikon no Tama. Carefully she began reading over the elegant scrawl, her translations were crude but this was definitely the scroll she had been seeking as she quickly rolled it up, slipped it in her obi before standing putting away the other scrolls and walking out of the library with her bare feet making no sound.

"It was nice to meet you Zhong, good luck with those battle plans," she said as she walked off. She knew she left him baffled but she didn't care. She needed to speak with her lord and have him help her translate the scroll because Kami knew she couldn't ask InuKimi or Shiori without them getting suspicious as to what she was up too and they couldn't know Sesshomaru was cursed.

"You, human girl," at that tone Rin turned around to face Xui who was glaring at her.

"Yes, your highness?" Rin asked coldly.

"What are you to my grandson," Xui demanded.

"I am my lord's Rin, nothing more, and nothing less," Rin replied tartly as she then resumed her walk to find her lord.

"I did not dismiss you girl," Xui's voice was sharp and again Rin whirled around on her heels to glare at the old woman. She was not that old, maybe early fifties in appearances, InuKimi looked to be no older than thirty so it was possible this inuyōkai was millenniums old and not appear it. Though Rin had a feeling that was the case, still it did not stop her from stalking up to the elder woman and standing before the elder.

"No, but let me be clear, I only take orders from my lord and you are not him. I belong to Sesshomaru-sama and that is all there is to it, and now I will be leaving on business which I have to attend to and orders I have from my lord, excuse me, your highness," and with that she spun around and stalked off leaving a baffled woman behind her.

She hated this place!

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	200. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 24

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...  
**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha  
**

* * *

**Impressions:** _The Act of Impressing, or the State of Being Impressed; the Communication of a Stamp, Mold, Style, or Character, by External Force or by Influence…_

* * *

**Chapter 24**

_**Memories; 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

"My lord!" Rin called out as she hurried to him finding him on a sparring field. She knew what he was doing but she didn't really care as she let her bare feet carry her over to him. Her lord was standing with a strange man who had strange stripe tattoos on his face and brilliant green eyes. Yōkai, she guessed and he looked like a feline yōkai, she was leaning towards a tora yōkai or something.

"Rin," he greeted her coldly.

"Ah, so this is the impromptu human everyone is in a buzz about," the young man mused, he looked to be about the same age as her lord in physical appearances.

"My lord, I am sorry for the interruption but I have found something," she informed him happily and Sesshomaru looked to his companion. Rin noticed the curious way his companion was looking her over and her eyes narrowed on him. "Is there something on my face or something?"

"Hm? No, I've jest never seen a human this close before. The differences are stunning, and you are a very beautiful creature; even by demon standards." He was still looking her over as he said that. Rin moved closer to her lord because she didn't like the scrutiny of his gaze. It made her feel as if she were a creature to be studied rather than a person to be seen.

"Zhi, stop staring at Rin," Sesshomaru ordered icily and those green eyes snapped up to him.

"I apologize, it was just so interesting to see one of those fabled humans, and she is such a lovely specimen of the species, remarkable. How old is she?" Zhi asked and Rin snarled at that terminology, she was not a pet! And she hated being referred to as if she were a pet or decoration. Naraku had always treated her like she was Sesshomaru's pet, and a few other yōkai over the past six years had also thought of her as her lord's pet. She was not a pet and she did not ever want to be referred to as one ever again.

"I am not a pet! I am nearly fifteen summers of age and I am my lord's Rin!" she felt herself bristling and there was a startled look in those feline green eyes. Then Zhi's head fell back in a rich laugh as he stood there and she looked up to her lord then and he looked amused as well.

"She is such a lively creature, I can see the appeal, Sesshomaru-sama," Zhi mused as he looked at her. "I am Prince Zhi of the Tiger Demons, at your service, Rin-sama."

"Just Rin, no honorific," she stated coldly.

"Ah, it is good to see my old friend still likes life, she will no doubt keep you on your toes Sesshomaru-sama, I will be off to speak with Wu now." And with that she watched the mysterious tiger leave. He rather reminded her of Michiko, it must be the feline way he moved and those eyes. Shaking off the thoughts of Zhi and the tora yōkai Michiko Rin looked back up to her lord who was looking at her with amused gold eyes.

"My lord, I have found a references but I cannot translate them." Rin pulled the scroll out of her obi to show it to him. He took it from her.

"I will have someone translate it for you," he said as he slipped it into his robes.

"Thank you my lord," she said happily and they walked up into the palace. She was silent, enjoying his company as she walked with him and wondered if there was any chance that she could get him to kiss her. Then again, that might not be the smartest move. She didn't want to humiliate herself, and there was the matter of toying with yōkai, that was never a smart move. Especially when she was a human and her lord was a daiyōkai. Though she did not fear daiyōkai, for she had no reason to ever fear a daiyōkai, however this did not mean she did not have a healthy dose of respect for daiyōkai because of their sheer power. And her lord was the most powerful of the powerful; and he was still growing into his power.

"Rin, why are you not dressed properly?" Sesshomaru finally asked her as they walked on.

"I dressed for my day, my lord, I did not wish to waste my day in another war room meeting when I have a mission to accomplish." There, she thought grimly, she was being honest again and she wasn't going to sugarcoat it or have a double meaning to her words.

"I see," he said indifferently and she dared to look up at him again. There was nothing there to express what he was thinking about at this moment and so she decided she wasn't completely sunk with this matter as she walked with him. If he was truly mad with her appearance he'd have demanded she change and be a proper lady, but he hadn't so she figured she was safe. Which was a comforting thought since she had no doubt infuriated Xui and InuKimi, and no doubt Shiori wasn't happy with her either.

Rin just internally groaned at her mental list and noticed the way it was growing. At the rate of females she was infuriating Rin had a feeling it might be safer to join the army and hide out there. Then again, she didn't take orders very well and it'd be a disaster. She sighed, so perhaps there was nothing to worry about; she'd just continue to be herself. Well, she was only human and that was a flaw she could use to work to her advantage.

A grin slipped over her lips, yes, being a human could work to her advantage for a change. She'd just have to play it carefully and be certain that she was ready for the back fire of whatever she intended. But she was certain she could handle it seeing as how she had learned to be herself by being around her lord and her lord would never let any harm befall her. Even if it was intended for her. Rin didn't really care though, she was certain she wouldn't start a war or something so she wouldn't worry about how she acted at this moment. She'd just try to be polite when she was with Shiori and InuKimi!

* * *

**That's all for now folks!  
**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	201. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 25

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha **

* * *

**Impressions:** _The Act of Impressing, or the State of Being Impressed; the Communication of a Stamp, Mold, Style, or Character, by External Force or by Influence…_

* * *

**Chapter 25**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

Sesshomaru just looked over the documents Rin had rushed to give him that night and was very impressed with his human. She had actually found something of use to his plight and now he was looking it over and wondering just how his human had figured this out, then again Rin was a very sharp young female. And she appeared to be smarter than the average human. But that wasn't really saying anything because Inuyasha's annoying miko was also intelligent; without common sense but intelligent at the same time. Sesshomaru sat there smirking at what Rin had found and how her miko mentors would be outraged with her forwardness.

Kami did he love that human.

But at this moment, his emotions were irrelevant and he was quietly translating the document for Rin. If she knew he was the one doing this for her then she'd attempt to decipher the scroll on her own rather than ask for help; both Rins were stubborn that way. Females, in general; he supposed, were stubborn this way. He didn't know why they were that way but he supposed it was just so they could confuse their enemies and mess with their allies; at least that's what he thought.

"I was told I would find you here Sesshomaru-sama," a voice called through his chambers and his head snapped up. Looking over his shoulder he looked at Zhi as he began rolling up his scroll and then hiding his translations. Again, no ally or enemy would know of his weakness; and the only reason Rin knew was because she was Rin and like the other Rin, she was unusually perceptive.

"Zhi, what do you want?" Sesshomaru demanded sharper than he intended as he hid the scroll and lounged in his spot. Looking indifferent and lazy were key to being left alone in his experiences here in his father's homeland. He hated this place, he did not like playing politics, and he truly despised his grandmother's attitude to the way of life which he claimed as his own. However, Zhi was of the few allies he had in this land who he tolerated and probably the closest to a friend he had in this land aside from Rin.

"Nothing, I just had a few questions about your human and the War going on here," Zhi informed him.

"Hn," he shrugged. He didn't give a shit about the 'War' going on here; it was that very War which had had his father fleeing this land to the East. However, he would admit to being slightly concerned about Qiang finding out about Rin. It was not the most pleasant of thoughts because Qiang would not hesitate to attempt to use Rin against him if he knew about her.

"Qiang will find out about your human female companion, Sesshomaru-sama, and then what? How do you intend to protect your human from the Dragon?" Zhi asked him.

"Nothing, Rin is perfectly capable of taking care of herself," Sesshomaru said indifferently. And he believed it. This Rin was no weakling and if she was willing to dare to pull a blade on Xui then there was no doubt in his mind that the Dragon would be biting off more than he could chew where Rin was concerned. Rin was very good at bringing up hell; a trait he had a feeling was due to being around Inuyasha. She did have some of his half-brother's less favorable traits in ways, but she was a young human who was still growing up and being influenced in minor ways.

"Are you certain of that? She's a human, if your enemies find out then she'll be contending with demons of the highest caliber, are you certain she'll be able to handle them?" Zhi demanded.

"Hn," he shrugged. In his heart he believed she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, she reminded him so much of Rin that it was impossible to think of this young human as a weakling. But the reality of her race was that she would not be strong, stubborn and determined; yes; but strong? She would not possess the strength in body that her opponents held, should the Dragons, or the Pigs, or the Monkeys discover her and attacked her. Rin was not trained for strength though, she was trained to have speed and to think ahead of her opponents. He had knowns she'd never possess the strength of her opponents; human and yōkai alike, but that didn't mean she was completely helpless.

"I just want you to think about this, Sesshomaru-sama, Qiang is just itching for an excuse to challenge the Dogs, and you having a human companion is welcoming the trouble." Zhi was right, he knew this but…

"Rin is not helpless, and I trust her to defend herself. Should Qiang and his minions decide to come after her, then they will have me to contend with and my full wrath," Sesshomaru admitted to his old time ally. The Tiger just pondered this as he stood there.

"I like your human, my lord, but do not underestimate your enemies and do not overestimate your pet. There are forces which even you cannot best," Zhi said before he left. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed on the spot as he pondered this truth.

But it was only a truth when he actually came across someone who was able to actually kill him. And he was not dying at the claws of some pathetic Dragon in a foreign land, just like he was not going to die at the hands of Naraku. And he was not going to die because of the will of Magatsuhi just yet. He would die when he found himself a worthy opponent, or was bested in a battle. But he was not going to die easy or let go Rin easily; and if Qiang tried to take Rin from him then that Dragon was going to find out just what he was truly capable of. No one was ever taking her from him again, and with this in mind he turned his attention back to the translations Rin had said she needed.

Quietly he let himself work, however he could not escape the feeling of being watched even as he worked within the safety of his own chambers. Carefully he scented the air but did not scent any foreign intruders. Which only had him more edgy as he worked in silence listening to the night.

Something was going on here, and he didn't like it.

* * *

**Sorry for the lack of updates, I caught a stuffy head cold and mainly wanna sleep lately. Colds Fucking Suck! But I'm getting better, I think, we'll see. Anyways, I'm going to try to get back into the swing of things again and we'll see how that goes... **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	202. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 26

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Stealth: **_The Bringing to Pass Anything in a Secret or Concealed Manner; a Secret Procedure; a Clandestine Practice or Action; -In Either A Good Or A Bad Sense…_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

_**Memories; 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

A shadow slipped through the night out of the Palace. Silent feet carried her towards her designated meeting place with the moon's light as her guidance. The news alone was worth every risk she was taking by sneaking out of the Palace; for if she were caught she'd be tortured for information and then killed because even she knew she could not stand Xui's poison. The Royal Dogs of the Dog Demons, in this land, were typically poisonous; though she had heard rumors through the castle that the late Toga had not been poisonous or venomous. However, that was before her time.

She walked into the clearing where they were waiting for her, and all three of them again stole her breath away. Aside from all of them being incredibly handsome, the sheer amount of power they radiated was crippling; it was almost greater than that Sesshomaru-sama from the East's power. Almost, she didn't know why but she sensed that that Sesshomaru-sama's power was still greater than the three Heirs before her.

Hui, a Monkey Demon, was young with dusty brown fur like hair atop his head, and his eyes were the same feral look of his animal cousins. He also had two very large incisors jutting from his top lip and two smaller, but large incisors on protruding slightly from his bottom lip. Also, he had a monkey tail, but his feet were hands like his animal cousins; still he was a very handsome specimen of the Monkey Demons.

Kun, a Pig Demon, looked like a pig with a humanoid body. And though she did not find Pigs all that attractive, she would grudgingly admit he was handsome, however this was mostly because of the menacing power he emanated.

And finally, her third employer, who was the most powerful Demon of these lands, and perhaps the entire world; Qiang. The handsome Dragon had black hair, brilliant purple eyes, and a face so beautiful it could not be described as handsome in her mind. Also, his blood red Demon Marks only served to enhance his ethereal beauty, and his body was just as beautiful with all those marks staining his pale flesh. He presented his Marks for the world to see, and she would admit she drooled at the sight of them.

"What have you called us here for Dog?" Qiang demanded with a venomous tone which had her own eyes narrowing slightly at him.

"Your highness, I did not bring you here on a folly, I have information too sensitive to send it flying out," she replied icily.

"Oh, and what news do you have, Dog?" Kun snorted.

"Xui's grandson, Sesshomaru-sama, has returned," she said calmly and she noted the interest in Qiang's lavender eyes. "He's vulnerable too, he has brought his pets with him; a halfling and human, both females and both prime for breeding."

Her implication hung heavily in the air. The three Demons considered this for a moment.

"Can you get close to them?" Qiang asked her. She snorted at the insult; of course she could get close to the girls, they were merely naïve, ignorant, eastern whores, it would be too easy and already was too easy.

"Alright, we'll send you a signal when we come to strike. If Sesshomaru is really attached to these females then it will destroy him when we take them," Qiang said with a menacing smile to reveal his gleaming fangs. "And then he will be weak enough to die and we will claim the Dog's lands for our own. Wiping out the Dogs once and for all!"

She didn't dispute that as she left them. This was going to be too easy.

* * *

In the early morning Rin woke to find two scrolls beside her and she smiled in delight knowing she had the translated copy then. Her lord would never let her down! Which was something she loved knowing as she looked up to the light tapping on the door.

"Rin, it is time to get ready for the day, may I come in?" a delicate voice called out.

"One moment!" Rin cried out as she hid the scrolls, she did not need the questions at this time about what she was up to. Finding her hiding spot she stood and let the young maid enter.

"Good morning Rin, I am Qing, I will be replacing An, since she has fallen most ill," the Dog Demoness informed her.

"Oh, well good morning Qing, I am Rin," she said with a smile to attempt to be nice.

"Yes I know, now there is much to do this morning, my lady, we must begin immediately. We do not want to infuriate her majesty this morning," Qing informed her.

"Alright, Rin shrugged. It wasn't like she was going to continue to act out all the time, but it was tempting.

"Good, let us begin, Min is already working on Shiori this morning," Qing informed her and Rin nodded as she let the morning ritual of dressing begin.

It was her least favorite part of being here at this moment, she hated having someone else dress her when she had been dressing herself since she had been a child. But she would endure it and her day so she could read those scrolls tonight.

Though InuKimi and Shiori did not know what she was really up to she had made plans not to let them down either. But Rin's first priority was her lord, as always, after all she was his Rin. Thinking of this Rin decided she would make it through her day. It would not be easy, especially since she was coming to dislike this land and the people here, but she could do it. After all, if it were easy then her lord would've found someone else to come here with him.

"Rin, these are yours' and Shiori's guards," Qing introduced once they were done turning her into a lady for the day. Rin's eyes flicked to her friend, Shiori who was reveling in the attention of this land to the two guards before her. They didn't look like much but she had a feeling that their looks were deceiving in this instance.

"Brothers, Heng and Hong, they are to be your personal guards while you are here. Her highness does not wish for you to get lost again Rin, and has been so kind as to give you a guard as an escort," Qing explained.

"Alright," Rin shrugged. Like she had thought earlier:

If this were easy then her lord would have found someone else to come here with him.

* * *

**Finally feeling human again! Hizah! The miracles of modern medicine! =)**

**Anyways, I have a little bit of a plan for my writing which will be started sometime in the coming week so do not be surprised if for a little bit the updates slow down on Never Be the Same. They'll still be coming pretty steadily though, I love writing this story; it's ranked up with my original works on how my I love the story and that's pretty high for me. But until I finish Part V: Instincts &amp; Innocence this will be getting steady updates, and don't worry we have a bit until the end for Part V here. But I thought you should know the updates here will slow for a while.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	203. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 27

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Stealth:** _The Bringing to Pass Anything in a Secret or Concealed Manner; a Secret Procedure; a Clandestine Practice or Action; -In Either A Good Or A Bad Sense…_

* * *

**Chapter 27**

_**Memories; 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

"Any developments, Jin?" Xui demanded of her treasurer. The skittish, jumpy man looked up to her then and his nervous demeanor had him trembling even more.

"No, but if we can form an alliance with the Northern Province Dog Demons then we would have the money to improve our armory and we would add to our dwindling numbers in this war. But the terms of the arrangement are… well… uh… um… uh… delicate and strenuous at best," the nervous dog demon said with a nervous laugh. Her own eyes narrowed at this.

"What are they asking for in exchange of an alliance?" she demanded sharply.

"That's the thing, I do not think we can give it to them without starting a war with the East," Jin explained as his eyes darted wildly around the room. Xui did not like this as the naturally nervous Jin became even more jittery where he stood.

"What do they want?" Xui demanded again as she stood there feeling infuriated with this male's nervous demeanor as he trembled more.

"Sesshoamaru."

* * *

Over the course of the next week Rin had a feeling there was a conspiracy in the works were to keep her busy and separated from her lord. And it was really beginning to irk her as she sat there in the great hall again, and again she was wasting a day she needed to research Magatsuhi's curse listening to useless, petty babble. Honestly did these yōkai not understand how to take care of themselves!? But here she was; sitting here, beside her lady and Shiori trying to act like a lady in Xui's court. And she was bored out of her mind. Still, she managed to tune out most the useless babble, and her eyes slid over to her lord who was sitting on the other side of Xui looking indifferently handsome to this entire matter. She wondered how he didn't go into a homicidal rage with boredom when it was clear he'd rather be doing anything but this.

Still, she decided if her lord could sit here then by Kami so could she. She would not humiliate her lord.

"Announcing the arrival of Princess Mei of the Northern Province Dog Family," the announcer declared. Rin's gaze slid to InuKimi when InuKimi stiffened at that name and then she looked to her lord who was sitting a little more stiffly than before. Her dark gaze then slid to the entrance of the hall and her jaw nearly fell.

There was the most beautiful creature, male or female, human or yōkai; Rin had ever seen. She was the embodiment of grace, class and elegance. And as she seemingly floated over to them Rin felt her temper spark as the female smiled, her long silver hair pulled up into an intricate design, her blue eyes were sparkling with beauty and life, and lust, and those perfect lips of the lady curved into a serine smile. Rin's eyes narrowed dangerously on the female as she bowed to Xui then turned to Sesshomaru. What Rin was feeling she didn't know; but it felt dangerously close to her temper and a sickening knot forming in the pit of her stomach.

"Welcome Princess Mei, Sesshomaru I would like for you to meet your intended, Princess Mei of the Northern Province." Xui announced happily and Rin felt as if her world had been ripped out from beneath her feet.

* * *

He could only blink.

That was all Sesshomaru could do as he stared at the silver female. He felt Rin's agitation from this announcement and all he felt was startled at the announcement. Never in his entire life had he ever thought that his grandmother would have done what his father had been trying and planning to do to him since he had been a pup. This was just a shock to him.

Honestly he hadn't even been here since he had been a hundred years old and he hadn't ever given his grandmother a thought since then. And now there was this to deal with, Sesshomaru wanted to grab Rin and run with her back home. When they were home they were free, and his mother wasn't shoving suitors down his throat.

"No," he stated and everything in the hall froze then.

"Sesshomaru, you will mate Princess Mei of the Northern Province," Xui said firmly and his eyes narrowed on his grandmother as he stood slowly, drawing himself to his impressive height.

"I will not mate anyone," he stated and he looked to his mother, Rin and Shiori. His mother looked slightly relieved; it was in the little ways he could see it. As for Rin, he didn't need to see her to know she was relieved with their bond, it was flooding him as she sat there with his mother.

"You will do this for our Family, and for our cause." Xui was looking determinedly at him, just glared dangerously at his grandmother.

"No," he repeated and he walked out of the grand hall, right past Mei without Rin or InuKimi or Shiori following him, and he left Xui gaping after him. He knew all of this but he didn't care as he walked away, he couldn't destroy his father's family. Then again, he was sorely tempted to go back and do just that, it was so tempting he even stopped to consider this but decided against that course of action as he walked off towards the gardens.

"My lord!" her voice rang after him but he didn't stop, not even for her. He would never do that, however, he did slow his stride a little for her to catch up to him in her slight jogging pace.

"Why won't you marry her? She's very beautiful," Rin pointed out in a huff once she was beside him and walking at his pace. He slid a look down to his little human, he knew she hated the thought of him mating anyone else but he could see her innocence in this topic. It was rather like when Kagura had pursued him and Rin had wondered why he didn't pursue her back. He knew this was only because Rin wanted him to be happy, she was so like the woman he had lost in that regard, but it appeared she couldn't see he didn't need the others to be content.

"Hn," he answered.

"That's not an answer, my lord," Rin replied tartly and he fought of the smirk as they walked in companionable silence then.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	204. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 28

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Stealth:** _The Bringing to Pass Anything in a Secret or Concealed Manner; a Secret Procedure; a Clandestine Practice or Action; -In Either A Good Or A Bad Sense…_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

_**Memories; 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

It was later that night after Rin had learned her lord was not going to answer her question that she was sitting on the polished floors of her room reading her translated scroll via candlelight and moonlight. Biting her lip her eyes scanned over the elegant writing as she figured out what it meant.

'_A Curse of Hatred_,' meant Magatsuhi's curse on her lord. At least that's how she had it figured because Magatsuhi had been the evil within the Shikon no Tama, and he had only known hatred. It was impossible for her to forget the hatred he had felt when he had invaded her body, her heart, her mind and her soul. All of that pain and hatred had filled her and twisted her around inside, but she had fought it, fought him, to free herself to run for her lord. And she had almost escaped.

'_Broken through Love and Loss_,' made no sense to her. True she had figured love would break a curse of hatred, but how would loss? It didn't make sense to her, but then she had a feeling this could all be nothing. Still, she couldn't help but wonder how this would break a curse.

'_Forged through Fate_,' was even more cryptic than the previous verse. And had her tilting her head and frowning as she released her lip. This wasn't going to make sense, she decided as she looked up to the full moon. Perhaps curses weren't supposed to make sense, her young mind reasoned. After all, the world of yōkai and spirits was something far beyond the grasp of humans, it was a different way of life. She knew this, and though it pained her to admit it, perhaps it was because of her flaw of being human that she couldn't help her lord with his curse. However, Rin was not giving up that easily as she looked back to the verses of the scroll.

'_Bathed in Blood and Sorrow_,' just had her more confused than before.

'_Given Up to Time_,' had Rin growling in frustration as she fell back on the floor to continue reading the scroll. Why couldn't curses ever be easy to understand? It would be so much easier for her if they were simple. Then again, she was human and simplicity was what she wanted for the most part.

'_Surrendered by Love to Break_,' well that was encouraging, she thought sourly.

'_Separated by Time_,' again, made her want to scream for it made no sense to her near fifteen year old mind. And she had thought she could break the curse because she'd be determined.

'_To Reunite to Again_,' had her wanting to throw the scroll aside and have her lighting it on fire. But she refrained because it was needed, and she had to figure it out.

For this was all the scroll had to say and it had her very irritated as she sat up again, tossed the scroll aside then stood. Her bare feet were swift to carry her out into the winter's night, as she worked to find a way to think about these cryptic answers she had been given. Perhaps it was because she was a human that the answers were not clear to her, perhaps it was because she did not know all that much about curses or wishes because she rarely had any. Still she couldn't help but feel she was so far out of her depth, and she wanted to speak with her lord about this matter but didn't. He did not seem to care one way or another about his curse, which also infuriated her.

Couldn't he see that he was important and that she needed him to stick around and be here with her!? She didn't ever want to be alone or lost again and this curse of his threatened to take away the only creature she had loved with all her heart, unconditionally, and never endingly. Rin refused to lose him, and if it took her an eternity to figure this out then so be it but damn it all! She was not giving her lord up! Giving up was not something she was good at and she was not good at surrendering to defeat either. So she'd work on figuring this out, after all, she could dedicate all the time of her life to figure this out.

All she wanted was for her lord to be happy and content with his life, and she wanted him to not be lonely. If that meant she dedicated all of her life to figuring out how to cure him then so be it. She would do just that! With that thought in mind she gritted her teeth as an icy wind sliced through her making her black hair dance before her eyes. A lone silver figure caught her eye, her breath hitched and she felt her heart skip a beat or two as she just looked at him. He wasn't looking at her, he was looking up at the stars and she wanted to be with him again.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried out seeing him as she jogged up to her lord as he stood there all of his silver glory, his gold eyes looked to her as he turned slightly towards were as an acknowledgement.

"Rin," he greeted her again, his voice indifferent, cold and unfeeling in tone but she heard his warmth beneath it all. He hid it all so well that sometimes it was easy for everyone to assume he felt nothing.

"What are you doing out here alone, my lord?" she asked. The cold sliced her feet but she didn't care for all she wanted to do was be with him.

"Remembering," he answered so softly she knew he had not meant for her to hear the answer. So she pretended she hadn't heard it as they stood there in companionable silence.

"Rin, stay with InuKimi and Shiori from now on," he said softly.

"Why, my lord?" she asked quickly.

"Just do it Rin," he answered harshly and she sighed.

"Yes my lord," she said softly and they both remained out there staring at the sky. She wondered if this had to do with the arrival of Mei, or if it was something else troubling her lord. She didn't know, but she would do as he had demanded of her because it was an order.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	205. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 29

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Stealth:** _The Bringing to Pass Anything in a Secret or Concealed Manner; a Secret Procedure; a Clandestine Practice or Action; -In Either A Good Or A Bad __Sense…_

* * *

**Chapter 29**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

Sesshomaru had a feeling that Rin should be near his mother and Shiori for the time being because he could not shake the feeling that their safety would be in numbers. Something was coming, the last time he had felt like this was when Magatsuhi had been coming. The first time.

There was an ominous feeling filling him warning of a coming disaster and he wanted Rin, his mother, and his mother's ward; Shiori, all together. He did not need to explain himself to Rin and he didn't intend to should he be wrong; however if he were right then…

Then Rin would be with the fiercest female yōkai he knew, his mother.

He believed Rin to be perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but she was out of her depth with these daiyōkai of this land. The daiyōkai here did not fight like anything Rin would be prepared for, and he did not want his human harmed. Though he had a feeling that no matter what, whoever messed with her was biting off far more than they could chew, which would lead to their own problems. Rin was a handful, and he liked her that way. Still, he wanted the human, who was standing beside him at this moment; safe, and where he knew she would remain safe.

There would be no repeating the incidents which happened with both Naraku and Magatsuhi; there was also the thing with Sō'unga's oni minion taking her too. Never again would he put this Rin in danger. But for some reason, even he felt the inevitable was Rin always being in danger. If she was never going to be safe, then he'd make certain she was trained to handle herself, for he wasn't letting her die senselessly. He wouldn't use this one, he would not lose her this time. He wouldn't.

"My lord, I do not like this land," Rin said softly drawing his attention back to the girl at his side. She had a sad look in her eyes as they stood there in the cold. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but he also did not like his father's homeland, it was a horrible place in his mind. But he was also bias because he hated his grandmother and her demanding, controlling ways. He was never something to be controlled, he was Sesshomaru, and he was free to do as he pleased.

"Hn," he replied coldly.

"I do not think you like this land either, my lord." Now he stiffened as he looked to the girl who wasn't looking at him. She was looking up to the sky like he had been, but there was a distance look to her, he sometimes wondered just how old she really was.

"Rin, you should mind your own business," he said softly, he didn't want her to say something and end up dead. She looked to him then.

"My lord, I will say nothing to anyone else," she said softly. He smirked a bit for he knew, he knew she would never reveal a single secret he gave to her. She was far too loyal of a person to him, he had met spies who were not as loyal as she. Rin was strange that way.

"Return to your quarters now Rin," he said softly when he scented three foreign scents.

"Yes my lord," Rin said softly as she looked towards where he scented her, then she disappeared in the garden. He knew she'd be safe, Rin was no foolish human and he knew she had her dagger on. He waited until she was in the palace before he leapt into the air. The scents invading his senses had him snarling a bit as he lunged after the threatening scents, baring his fang his claws slipped around the ivory hilt of Bakusaiga.

Landing in the forest he stood there in the center of the clearing as he scented the air. He growled again, he knew these scents as he looked over his shoulder to the shadows.

"Still impatient, I can see," Sesshomaru said indifferently as he turned to the scent which was strongest.

"And still as boring as ever," the voice retorted as the flamboyant male came out of the shadows. Sesshomaru didn't relax any as he stood there with his hand resting on Bakusaiga.

"Qiang," Sesshomaru acknowledged, he'd acknowledge those of equal and greater power than himself, and Qiang was of the few on that level.

"Sesshomaru, the disgraced Prince of the Dogs has returned," the Dragon sneered. And Sesshomaru said nothing as he pulled Bakusaiga as he stood there waiting for the next move of the dragon. And this was the main reason he hated coming to this land, everyone and everything here hated him just as much as he hated them and they did not hesitate to attack him. He knew this, he'd known it since he had been a pup but it didn't help his temper as he stood there in the moonlight.

"Still a functioning mute I see, oh well," Qiang shrugged as he grinned his fangs so the gleamed in the moon's light.

"What do you want, Qiang?" Sesshomaru demanded as his own icy tone iced over. He had been itching for a fight since he had come to this land and he'd happily slice and dice this Dragon if only to satisfy his battle hunger for a moment. And he didn't give a damn about the consequences it would mean for his grandmother or her followers. All he wanted at this moment was to kill the biggest pain in his ass, before Inuyasha had been born.

"Oh, a lot of things, shiny things in particular, but mostly… I want you grandmother's land," Qiang informed him as his flamboyant manner turned lethal. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed on him.

"Hn," he decided to reply. Mostly to infuriate the Dragon. Sure enough, Qiang's hackles went up and he snarled as he drew his sword to leap at him. Sesshomaru smirked as he snarled and slashed his fang then.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	206. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 30

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Stealth:** _The Bringing to Pass Anything in a Secret or Concealed Manner; a Secret Procedure; a Clandestine Practice or Action; -In Either A Good Or A Bad Sense…_

* * *

**Chapter 30**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

Rin hurried into her quarters, leaping over the railing and onto the wood of the landing. Skidding to a halt in her quarters she spun on her heel to catch the doors with her hands and just like the day she had first met Kohaku she shut the doors together. It was strange how being in this land made her feel like a child; she didn't like that sensation but she was coming to tolerate it all the same. Once her doors were shut she stood there for a moment as she tried to figure out how she was supposed to feel about this moment. And she felt nothing; which was odd to her.

Rin could tune out how she was feeling; she was very good at shoving all of her panic and fears to the side and focus on her tasks in the midst of a battle or crisis but she never not felt anything. This was first; but something she quickly ignored as her fingers slipped up her sleeves and she turned to leave her quarters to head for Shiori's quarters. There was a reason her lord wanted her here rather than with him, and though she didn't know it she wasn't going to let him down.

Silent as the shadows she drifted over the polished floors of the palace wondering what she was to do when she got to Shiori's quarters. It wasn't something she had thought about as she stopped at the end of the hall seeing the light of a candle and hearing hushed voices. Her fingers slipped around the hidden hilt of her dagger as she peeked around the corner, she had to pass this threshold to get to her lady and Shiori but first she wanted to know who was there and what she was dealing with. Focusing on her breathing she slowed her heart and cleared her mind as she focused on her hearing and listened.

"Not tonight, I will tell you when, just not tonight!" a hushed female voice hissed.

"When, he grows impatient!" another, male voice, hissed.

"Soon, but not now, if you wish to succeed then trust me and wait!" the female hissed. Rin couldn't identify the voices as she pressed her back against the wall and listened intently. There was something about this which had her nervous; like she was over hearing a traitor's conversation and it made her feel slightly antsy as she tried not to make a sound.

"The master is growing impatient and wants to strike," a new male voice hissed.

"Understood, but tonight's confrontation is a display of power. I have preparations to make for our cause to succeed and need your patience. Tell the master if he strikes now he's doomed us all," the female whispered in quick tones. Rin was tempted to peek around the corner but didn't. She was human and she would be caught if she tried anything other than listening. And Rin was not one to get caught anymore; for every other time she had been caught she had been hurt and she wasn't going to be hurt or used anymore. Silently she slid her dagger from it's sheath as she stood ready just in case of an attack from them.

"We will tell him," one of the males hissed.

"Good, now leave before the Dogs wake and notice you," the female hissed.

"Work quickly," the other male snarled softly and Rin dared to peek around the corner of the hall then. The female had her back turned to her and Rin darted across the open hall as she continued her run for Shiori's quarters. It was a very good thing they were close for if they weren't then she'd be in trouble. Sliding the doors open she caught the flicker of light coming down towards her as she shut the doors then and stood there in complete silence as she watched the dimly luminated shadow flicker past her doors after stopping briefly before Shiori's doors. Rin's heart was still beating slowly and steadily as she stood there watching the light flicker there and then the shadow moved on.

Once the darkness reigned over the room she was in she released her shaky breath as her heart hammered away mercilessly in her ribs. Her brow rested momentarily on the wood of the doors and then she straightened up as she turned towards Shiori. Shiori hadn't even woken from her arrival, Rin had a bad feeling about that since Shiori was a light sleeper who would wake at the sound of a pin dropping. Quietly Rin made her way over to Shiori.

"Shiori?" Rin hissed as she knelt beside her friend. "Shiori?"

Nothing.

Tentatively Rin reached her hand out and shook her friend's shoulder, and normally Shiori would've bolted straight up to hit her for this but again there was nothing. Frowning slightly Rin sat back on her heels, her dagger still in hand just in case that shadow decided to come and check in on her. There was a minimal silver light flooding the room. The half-moon was illuminating the room poorly but even Rin's human eyes noticed the still steaming tea on the tray. Curious, Rin stood and cautiously approached the tea set as if it were an explosive.

Kneeling beside it she lifted the cup Shiori had obviously used and sniffed it.

Though her sense of smell was nowhere near as sharp as a inuyōkai's or a common yōkai's, her life as a scavenger and survivor had left her with a sharper sense of smell. It was another thing which made her different from the other humans she hung around. But in this instance she thought her sharper senses were a use, except she was assaulted with a scent of an herb she didn't know. Looking over at Shiori she looked back at the tea cup and the she carefully put it down as she stood up and walked about the room trying to think.

There was obviously something going on here beneath the surface and it was concerning to her as she stopped her pacing and looked out at the garden. Just what the hell was going on here!?

* * *

**I'm Not Dead! I've been lazy...**

**Also I've been concocting a writing schedule so I can wrap all I have going on here! =) I'm certain you will all catch onto what I'm going to start doing this week...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	207. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 31

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Treachery:** _Violation of Allegiance or of Faith and Confidence; Treasonable or Perfidious Conduct; Perfidy; Treason…_

* * *

**Chapter 31**

_**Memories; 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

The morning peeked into the room and Rin winced as she opened her eyes to the new day's light. Rolling over she looked around Shiori's room, why was she here again? Then it hit her an had her bolting up and looking over to her friend. Quietly Rin crept over to Shiori as she leaned over her friend then, Shiori's breathing was still deep and even. She looked up and stood carefully as she pulled her knife as she cracked the door and peeked out in the hall. There was no one there, good.

Silently Rin crept out of the room and into the hall. The silence ruled the morning as she saw her breath fog before her eyes from her lips. It was cold but somehow that didn't seem to be important to her as she then crept further down the hall towards her lord's quarters. Sliding the doors of her lord's quarters open she slipped in to the room silently then turned to look at him. Her lord was lounging amongst his pillows, his garments were in shreds then and his body was healing. Her eyes looked to the black mark marring his chest.

"My lord?" Rin questioned, his gold eyes slid lazily over to her as he held Bakusaiga and Tensegia was on the floor beside him. His gaze slid back over to the garden as she approached him. She didn't fear approaching him but she was cautious about it since the feral look residing in his icy honey eyes. Rin was careful as she knelt beside him then.

"Rin," he said her name coldly and indifferently as he looked out at the snowy gardens. Rin just waited a beat as she thought over what to tell him about last night. Then she decided she'd do the Inuyasha thing and be blunt about it.

"My lord, I overheard something last night that I think you should know about," Rin said softly.

He looked over to her with a lifted brow then and her dark eyes flicked to the snowy garden as she prepared herself to tell him exactly what she had heard about last night.

"My lord, I am concerned about what we might have landed in the middle of something other than just a war. I overheard a conversation between a female and two males about preparing a time to strike, I think there's a fourth member involved too. I think there might be a revolt coming up. I think I over heard a spy and her contacts," Rin informed him and looked to her lord then. She had Sesshomaru's undivided attention then as he looked at her with a lifted brow.

"The spy is a female yōkai here, I don't know who, I couldn't hear her real well but she spoke as if she resided here," Rin whispered as she looked him in those gold eyes.

"Rin, it's time we spoke of my father's homelands…" Sesshomaru started as he stood and peeled out of his silk robes and pulled on new ones.

"My lord?" Rin tilted her head as he tied his garments closed he walked over to her with his feet bare and sat beside her as he picked up Bakusaiga and rested it with Tenseiga.

"How much do you know about these lands, Rin?" he asked her in a cold indifferent tone.

"Not much, my lord, I slept through your mother's lessons," Rin admitted as Sesshomaru smirked slightly then. She was silent for the rest of the morning as she forced herself to pay attention to her lord's history lesson he was giving her. It wasn't often that he gave her direct lessons.

It was that afternoon as she walked beside her lord, still paying attention to her history lesson as they paced the outside deck of the palace looking at the snowy gardens. A set of feet storming up towards her and her lord had her attention as she looked past him at Xui storming towards them. Sesshomaru straighten slightly as he stood there beside her, Rin did not know what to think about this situation as she tried to hide behind her lord. She knew Xui did not like her nor did she particularly want to confront her elders because she hated being truly disrespectful towards her elders. She was raised by Kaede also and respecting her elders was something engrained in her despite her rebellious personality. And Xui was her elder despite her wants.

"What are you doing with that? The Princess is here!" Xui snapped as she glared accusingly at her. Sesshomaru stepped in front of her then as his grandmother tried to grab her and there was a low growl from him.

"_That_ is Rin, and Rin is mine," Sesshomaru stated in such an icy tone that Xui froze mid-move to grab her then. Rin's hand instinctively grabbed her lord's sleeve then, he didn't move as he stood there glaring dangerously at his grandmother. Rin didn't want to be the cause of a rift between her lord and his family, a human princess caused a deep rift with him and his father, she feared what kind of rift could be formed with his grandmother.

"What about the Princess from the Northern Province?" Xui demanded.

"Hn, Rin, come," he ordered as he stalked off. Rin just hurried after him but she noticed the venomous glare she received from Xui and the newly arrived Princess. She cringed internally but hurried after her lord, more eager to learn what her lord had to teach her and more eager to learn about what there was to learn about the history of this land. Her lord made everything worth learning. Then again, she had a very bad feeling that she'd been dropped into the midst of a war and she didn't know the players without knowing the history.

Rin peeked up at her lord's gold eyes and she saw the fury beneath the fire of his fury beneath the icy façade. She just remained silent as she walked beside him while standing tall. She would not create a rift between him and his family, but she would not shame him either by being weak and leaving him alone again. His grandmother wasn't going to get rid of her easily.

* * *

**Night!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	208. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 32

**Instinct &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Treachery:** _Violation of Allegiance or of Faith and Confidence; Treasonable or Perfidious Conduct; Perfidy; Treason…_

* * *

**Chapter 32**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

It was midafternoon when Rin finally left her lord's side because of summons sent to her through Min to return to her quarters for preparations for this evening's event. It was really code for 'Rin get your ass over here so we can make you look like a lady' in her mind but orders were orders. The only one permitted to ever order her about was her lord's mother because she was her lord's mother and Rin followed most of InuKimi's orders. There was also the terrifying factor involved too, InuKimi when furious or frustrated was a terrifying force to encounter and not really one Rin liked messing with for any reason at all. Then again, there was the matter of their battle of wills…

Not that it mattered at this moment as she left her lord quietly and followed the Dog, Min, towards their quarters. She had long since heard that Shiori was alright, so she wasn't entirely worried about her friend but Rin was still curious as to what tea that had been. Being a bat hanyō left Shiori with very sensitive hearing and she would wake at the sound of crickets some nights. With that taken into consideration Rin was concerned about what Shiori may or may not have had for tea last night.

Thinking of this Rin didn't notice her own arrival into her lady's quarters until she nearly walked into InuKimi who was standing there with a patient but waiting expression on her normally indifferent façade. Rin knew now just how much of an irritation she was becoming for her lady and her friend. Not that Rin really cared, she wasn't doing her job if she was acting like some pathetic female only on display; Rin was Rin and they all knew her lord let her have free reign over what she did. But still, Rin wanted to keep the respect she seemed to have earned in the eyes of InuKimi, it was important to her not to let her lord's mother down for any reason. And so, Rin would prepare to look like a doll for the evening. Not her most thrilling prospect; honestly she'd rather kiss a salamander but that was just her.

"Rin, what are we ever going to do with you?" InuKimi sighed dramatically.

"Adore me, I'm adorable," Rin answered back with an impish grin. It was not the answer her lady wanted but it was the answer which had InuKimi smiling slightly as she began barking orders to the handmaids Min and Qing. It was annoying to her but she endured it all in silence, reverting back to her childhood defense for pain: Silence. And make no mistake, being a lady was by far the most painful thing Rin ever endured. The pains for which females went to be beautiful was numbing as she had her hair yanked about, her face scrubbed raw before being lathered up, the she was nearly suffocated with her garments as they went about giving her a tiny waist. Rin was no large, bust or lush female so her already tiny waist was dislocated as she was nearly cut in half by the ribbons.

"Tonight Rin, I do not care what happens but you are to behave like a proper lady. I do not care if we are dragged into a war, locked in a tower, and set afire; the entire time, you will act like a princess tonight. Understood?" InuKimi demanded sharply as she leaned over to glare at her. Rin swallowed hard then as she noted the dangerous gleam in her lady's eyes.

"Yes my lady," Rin gulped.

"Good, now let's be off," InuKimi ordered with a dramatic turn of her body before gliding out of the room. Rin slipped her dagger up her sleeve out of habit as she fell into line with Shiori.

"What's going on tonight that I do not know about?" Rin hissed to her friend.

"Well if you were ever around to pay attention; then you'd know tonight is the alliance council meeting and all of the prominate generals of the Western Dog Province are here, including the one who's been looking at you with puppy eyes; General Wu's son, Zhong," Shiori whispered to her and Rin frowned at the term puppy eyes.

"Who's Zhong?" Rin asked in all seriousness, she felt she had heard his name before but couldn't place it and she saw the pained expression on Shiori's face then.

"I swear, it's like you only have eyes for Sesshomaru-sama and his wants, it's painful Rin, painful! Zhong asks about you every time we enter the grand hall, he yearns to have you. I've also over heard him speaking with his father about acquiring you and how he'd like to speak with Sesshomaru-sama about the matter," Shiori murmured as they turned a corner. Rin paled; and she had missed this!? Clearly her observational skills were lacking this trip. Normally she'd have noticed this and dissuaded her would be suitor in a devious, yet painful, way. She blamed Magatsuhi's curse for her tunnel vision.

"I am not mating anyone Shiori, I am going to return home, return to Edo, finish my final summer there and then travel with my lord the next summer," Rin hissed. She was almost sixteen; she just had to make it to that! That was her goal and then she was free, free of Edo and everything and everyone.

"Rin, you are hopeless," Shiori sighed as they walked into the grand hall for the meeting.

"I am not!" she hissed back and noticed the way Heng and Hong stood on guard at the doors they had just exited. Rin didn't think it was odd but there was something about tonight which had her on edge; then again it could've just been the conversation she had overheard last night.

"You are too, and Rin, that's alright. Sesshomaru-sama doesn't mind your obliviousness," Shiori waved. Rin pouted a bit as she struggled to gracefully descend to the table.

"You know what Shiori, after this event is over you and I are having two talks," Rin snapped.

"Two?"

"Yes, two, one about your tea from last night and the other about your case of hopelessness," Rin stated firmly, Shiori snickered before they both sobered up and paid attention to Xui. However, Rin's dark gaze settled to where her lord was with his bored, indifferent gold eyes. His gaze flicked to her and she felt herself blush as she looked away and tried to look as if she hadn't been ogling her own lord. Perhaps she really was hopeless.

* * *

**I am probably the strangest person ever, I sent off a story in 2014 to a publisher. I already knew it was rejected but I sent it anyway; why the hell not, you know? And now, nearly a year and a half later I happily received the rejection letter and I can't stop grinning. It made me so happy to be acknowledged and rejected all at once; don't get the wrong idea I want one of my stories to eventually be published but I was really happy that someone read and rejected the story. At least they acknowledged me and it made me ridiculously happy! =)**

**And now I'm working on my next story to send off, fingers crossed it's accepted but I'll take the rejection too. =) No one said writing's easy and I just do it for fun.**

**But since this made be ridiculously happy I thought to share the news! =)**

**Oh, and if you peek at my profile there's a list of coming Parts for Never Be the Same! ;) I think already forwarned you all that this was going to be a long ass story...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	209. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 33

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Treachery:** _Violation of Allegiance or of Faith and Confidence; Treasonable or Perfidious Conduct; Perfidy; Treason…_

* * *

**Chapter 33**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

All of the preparations were set.

All she needed to do now, as she peeked past the curtain at the dinner being served for the important members of the Clan, as to execute her plan. It wasn't going to be difficult in her mind, everything was ready, and her employers were in position to strike. This would be over before the end of the night and she was most eager to have it begin.

Let these Dogs burn.

After all they had made her nothing more than a maid and she deserved so much more than that. She wasn't as mindless as Min, nor was she as stupid as Heng and Hong, but she was no Princess Mei and she refused to live the rest of her life in servitude to Sesshomaru-sama's pets.

The Halfling and the human were going to succumb to her will first. And after Qiang took care of Sesshomaru-sama; as he showed he had the power to do last night, then she was going to force Sesshomaru-sama to witness the death of his human pet first before Qiang killed him. She was most eager for this night to come, and despite what the late night sneak might've heard or not heard; and whoever they were when she was done they'd wished they'd never disobeyed the palace rules; it'd be too late. Of this she was certain for she had certain, assurances, from Kun, Hui, and Qiang.

Let the revolt begin…

She thought as a malicious grin spread on her lips, this was going to be worth it.

* * *

The darkness for cover was slightly pathetic as he awaited that bitch's signal that they should strike. It was a meeting of the generals, and though the guards would be there; Qiang knew no one would be ready for a fight or ambush in the heart of their province. But it was even sweeter that the attack was from within; it made this battle all the much better knowing this as he waited for her signal.

He knew he could rely on her, because it was easy to rely on a love struck dog.

And when this was over, after the bitch got whatever she wanted out of this fight he'd end her. For he wanted none of those Dog Demons to live, he didn't want them to know what hit them as he annihilated them.

The only real threat to him was Sesshomaru. The Mighty Dog had not even revealed an ounce of his true strength in their battle while kicking his ass. And it infuriated him that that Dog was better than him, for no one was better than him and his strength was absolute. No one could ever beat him, but then there was always that one Dog who could destroy him with ease. Though he hadn't made it easy last night but he had still lost when Sesshomaru had walked away.

Well, tonight it was going to be different.

This ambush was a perfect plan, and by first light Sesshomaru would be dead.

* * *

Rin smiled as she sat beside Shiori and they were sharing a silent conversation; whilst making fun of all the guard's armor in their homeland's language. No one here besides her lady and Sesshomaru knew what they were saying and occasionally she's see her lord's lips twitch at some of her jokes or comments. It was fun, though this dinner was a drag.

Xui was going on and on about the alliance between the Northern Dogs and the Eastern Province and it was boring to both Rin and Shiori as they sat there trying not to draw attention to themselves. But Rin couldn't help but notice the way their guards' eyes watched their every move as they ate the well prepared meal. Rin didn't say anything about their looks though, and now that she looked both Heng and Hong over she noticed how handsome they both were however, no one was as handsome or beautiful or breathtaking as her lord.

And he was sitting beside his grandmother with a distasteful look on his face and she had even heard him snarl when Mei had tried to serve him his food. Rin had thought it a bit extreme but then again her lord didn't let others in. And Kami knew he had growled at her whenever she had tried to help him.

Rin lifted her cup to her lips for the first time that evening and she froze as she was again assaulted with that scent from last night ans she looked at the cup. Shiori was gulping her tea down, InuKimi stifled a yawn and as Rin's eyes scanned the crowd she noticed how sleepy everyone was. Except her lord and herself…

She carefully pulled the tea cup away from her lips as she put it down and looked expectantly at her lord then.

* * *

Since last night's distasteful brawl he had had with Qiang, he had been on edge and as his eyes wandered over the guard and the generals and the guests and noticed all the yawns he stopped zoning out. He had been focused on Rin, through their bond all night and had listened to her amusing jokes and insults, but for the first time he had felt her jolt of fear and suspicion.

When he looked over to her he saw her sitting there looking at him expectantly. He lifted a brow to her in their silent communication; something they had always done; he had even had silent communication with the other Rin. Her eyes flicked to her cup then at him, he lifted his own cup then and brought it to his lips. There was a stab of panic through their bond so he soothed her by merely scenting the tea. He stiffened at that scent as he set the cup down and looked around the grandhall.

Just then there was a crash in the middle of the table, he was looking at a firework and he lunged for Rin then.

The explosion knocked him off course though as everyone flew backwards.

"NOW!" a woman shouted, he looked up and he saw Rin's handmaid then and the young maid was grabbing Rin. he snarled as he tried to leap again, then he was slammed into the wall and he found himself looking into the eyes of a furious Dragon.

* * *

**Yes, I received feedback on my rejected story, no I'm not discussing it and yes; I'm taking their advise and am going to try to implement it into my writing. I hope that answers your questions as to my happy rejection! =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	210. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 34

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Treachery:** _Violation of Allegiance or of Faith and Confidence; Treasonable or Perfidious Conduct; Perfidy; Treason…_

* * *

**Chapter 34**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

The last thing Rin remembered was her lord being smashed through the palace hall and disappearing into the clouds and snow as she was grabbed and knocked out. Now she was sitting in a cell as her dark eyes wandered her prison. InuKimi groaned then, Shiori moaned and she heard the Princess and Xui stirring. Rin looked at the maid who had come towards her to help her, Min was half dead; and the first thing that Rin had done when she had awoken was try to aid the young maid however she knew the female was dying. The only question was: would she die in this cell from the wounds, Rin assumed, Qing had inflicted upon her or would she die out of the cell?

"What was that?" InuKimi moaned, Rin turned to her lady as her hands slipped up into her sleeves then.

"That, my lady, was a sleeping draft designed to knock even the most powerful of inu daiyōkai out." Was her answer as her lady's golden set of eyes illuminated the dark cell then. Rin just stared into those furious eyes as a set of glowing purple eyes opened and two other sets of molten gold joined in the glowing. Rin just stood there, very still when she heard the low growl.

"I'm glad you've woken, Xui, Mei; my lady, Min has a terrible wound and I do not believe she will live much longer. She did try to help me when Qing attacked," Rin explained to the glowing dark eyes.

"Shiori, look after Min for the time being; Rin get us out of here," InuKimi commanded as she drew herself to her full height.

"Yes, my lady," Rin said as she turned to explore the darkness. She did not have her dagger but it would not stop her from finding a way out of here. After all, before and even while she traveled with her lord, she was a thief and thieves did not take to being captured. It was just another of her many unladylike skills which she possessed and used to the fullest. Rin did not like being captured.

"No!" Xui shouted.

"And what do you propose we do Xui?" InuKimi demanded as her tone turned the deadliest ice Rin had ever; it was dripping with venom and she stopped her quest as she looked at the two women in the dim light. InuKimi's eyes were a brilliant shade of gold with her anger and suddenly Rin was wishing she was anywhere but here. There was a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach while she stood there trembling in the darkness.

"We will wait for the guard to come, for all we know they saved us and hid us here," Xui snapped. And for the first time in her life Rin felt truly terrified as she listened to a laugh she had never thought to exist. It was like when her lord smiled, or when Inuyasha didn't say something stupid; it was rare and it was something to be feared.

InuKimi's laughter filled their cell and Rin wanted to hide.

* * *

When Sesshomaru roused; for he had been smashed through a wall, down a mountain and into the valley below with a true formed Dragon holding him down as he accelerated towards the ground; it was later and his amber eyes snapped open to darkness. And who he was looking at had his own gold eyes narrowing dangerously on the Pig who he was staring at.

"Ah, you are awake; Sesshomaru-sama," he spat out with disgust and Sesshomaru did not acknowledge the Pig as he looked about where he was. Their mistake, was thinking he was defenseless with these pathetic sacred seals binding him. He had destroyed sacred seals of far more powerful holy men than the ones binding him now. After all, he had taken out all of Ungai's accolytes before defeating the Master himself; and Sesshomaru had barely tapped his power. He had merely brought to surface his transformation before completing it. And at that time he was at his weakest for power; so he was not worried about this.

"You Dogs, think you're better than the rest of us, looking down on us all high and mighty and never helping us. Well, the Dragon's going to destroy you and as you're dying you'll know what it feels like to be helpless and pathetic," Kun grumbled and Sesshomaru smirked

"If the Mighty Ryūkotsusei could not kill me and he was actively trying to do so; what makes you think Qiang can when he failed last night?" Sesshomaru asked coldly. He was not dying by the claw of a dragon, and he certainly was not dying at the claws of one as pathetic as Qiang.

"That's not what he said about last night, you left him; limping away," Kun informed him arrogantly. Sesshomaru smirked then, his own inner beast was laughing at this Pig's arrogant declaration.

But the Pig froze and Sesshomaru released a fraction of his power; his true power and untapped potential.

"I didn't even try," he informed the Pig then and there was a scream, Sesshomaru's own bones snapped, cracked as his inner yōkai emerged with a fiery temper at having his name muddied by a Pig. The seals snapped, the scent of fear assaulted him and it thrilled him as his own body broke and reassembled to bring for the monster within him.

His gold eyes bled red as his body grew in size breaking the building his was housed in. The ruins around him only served to thrill his desire for a battle even more, and he released more of his own yōkai aura. He rarely did this for he didn't want others to know the true extent of his power, and to unleash it anywhere near humans of any spiritual ability it would kill them instantly.

It was this very perfection of yōkai power within him which had prevented him from being purified at Mount Hakurei.

"Now tell Qiang to face me," Sesshomaru snarled, his voice shook the ground as he stood there threateningly over the Pig and venom dripped from his jaws turning the surrounding land into a toxic waste field and a feral smile pulled his canine lips back to reveal his very sharp set of gleaming teeth. The wind ruffled his fur as he snarled and the Pig squealed; the echoes bounce around the mountains before the Pig could even escape his snapping jaws.

If Qiang wanted a fight then he'd face Sesshomaru's true power.

There was a reason he was the Killing Perfection.

* * *

**Long, and interesting day today; along with a ton of free stuff! It was fun! =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	211. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 35

**Instinct &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Treachery:** _Violation of Allegiance or of Faith and Confidence; Treasonable or Perfidious Conduct; Perfidy; Treason…_

* * *

**Chapter 35**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

The laugh filled the cell and Rin wanted to hide; she wasn't a fool however she felt she needed to stand strong and not show her fear of her lady's laughter. Though InuKimi was a force to fear; for she was a lot like her son in this way.

"There is no rescue, Xui; even InuTaisho would know this. Now Rin, find the exit and I'll help get us out of here," InuKimi ordered.

"Yes my lady!" Rin nodded as she resumed her hunt through the darkness for the door.

"And what makes you think a human princess can get us out of here?" she heard Xui demanded.

"Because I'm no princess, I'm a thief, and my lady I've found the door," Rin called out as her fingers felt the wood from the stone.

"Move Rin," InuKimi ordered. Rin did as she was told and stepped to the side, her back pressed up against the stones. Then there was a blinding flash of light as it slashed through the cell and the wood exploded. Rin gasped, but didn't say anything as she covered her face from the assault of splinters and then there was a flooding of the torch light.

"Wow, I did not know you could do that, my lady," Shiori announced as she lifted up the unconscious maid.

"You did not honestly believe that my son got all of his abilities from his grandparents, did you?" InuKimi asked as she breezed past Rin and Shiori. Rin said nothing as she helped Shiori with Min and they followed InuKimi without looking back. There was a lot unknown with InuKimi and Rin found she had a growing respect for InuKimi and her own hidden abilities. But that was something for her to dwell on later as they hurried from cell down the hall; now was the time for escaping and she heard Xui and Mei hesitantly following them through the halls.

A searing preasure knocked Rin off of her feet and into the wall as she gasped from the power assaulting her. Shiori just looked startled while InuKimi, Xui and Mei were all alert then. Rin felt it though, the searing power pouring into her body through that mark her lord had given her so long ago. Clenching her teeth, her hand slapped over her mark as she collapsed gasping for breath; it was all too much for her as she screamed from the pain pouring into her. The overload of the emotions surging into her mind and body; all of his pain, his longing, his loneliness, his affection, his rage, hatred, disgust, thrill, killer instincts, and blood lust surged through her as she collapsed onto the ground.

"Sesshomaru," she whispered breathlessly.

"Rin, what is wrong?" InuKimi asked as she knelt over her and Rin looked up at InuKimi with tears in her eyes as she clutched the mark she so diligently hid from everyone; including InuKimi.

"He's in pain, so lonely, it's not fair," Rin whispered and InuKimi carefully peeled her hand back from where she clutched the mark.

"Rin, when did he give you this?" InuKimi asked her calmly and Rin gritted her teeth as she fought off the onslaught of emotions which were drowning her in such extremes. Her lord never felt something simply, she had always known this, but to feel everything he felt flooding her and overwhelming her as he released it all in his rage… It was like she was disappearing within his emotions.

"When we started traveling together," Rin admitted as the tears slipped down her cheeks. What was happening to her? Why did he hurt so badly? What made him so lonely? Rin didn't know the answers as she endured what he felt; the last time she had felt this surge of emotions he had been fighting Magatsuhi, and she had felt briefly as his life flickered between life and death from that blow in his chest, and now she was feeling everything else he had endured in life. It was so much, too much and she screamed again as it surged into her.

"He marked her?" Xui screeched.

"Rin, focus, where's Sesshomaru?" InuKimi asked her as she cried for him, cried for everything he was feeling and all the pain overwhelming her emotions.

"Out there," Rin admitted.

"Alright, Shiori, take her to Sesshomaru, Xui, Mei grab Min, we are going elsewhere. Sesshomaru's releasing his true power, Rin, and it will hurt less if you are near him," InuKimi explained. Rin just stared up at her lady as she nodded. The tears flowing down her cheeks as she hesitantly took Shiori's and InuKimi's hands to help her up. Getting to her feet she felt another surge of emotions and then she was seeing something else.

He was in the mountains and he was looking for her, she could see him looking down at the palace where they were.

"Sesshomaru!" Rin gasped, and then she was running as her feet carried her without thought through the halls of the dungeons. She needed to get to the courtyard before he struck at the palace. It was important! She had a feeling that this was a trap for him and she didn't want him to be hurt or captured in this mess, so she ran. She heard Shiori chasing her but didn't stop as she turned the corner and slid on the floors kicking up dust with her bare feet.

"Stop girls!" a Monkey looking man ordered her. She bared her teeth as she let out a snarl like Inuyasha's, she did not have time for this! Thinking that she charged the demon, she went low. He leapt out of her way and came down at her, she caught his tail, wrapped her hand in it as she yanked him towards her and pulled back her fist. She slammed it into his jaw then spun to the side with him as he spun around to kick her, she grabbed one of his daggers then.

She did not have time for this!

* * *

**Good News Today!**

**The Weekends of My Writing Will Be Dedicated to Never Be the Same! Yay! So you can expect more than just this today! Yay!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	212. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 36

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Weapons:** _An Instrument of Offensive or Defensive Combat; Something to Fight With; Anything Used, or Designed to be Used, in Destroying, Defeating, or Injuring an Enemy, as a Knife, a Sword, Ect. …_

* * *

**Chapter 36**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

Rin stood there holding this Monkey's tail as they now looked at one another on an even playing ground of the hall. Her hand tightened on his tail and her other hand tightened on the dagger she had stolen from him, it was a little too bulky for her tastes but she was going to get to her lord one way or another.

And if that meant she went through this Monkey then so be it.

Twisting that furry tail around her hand she let out a low growl as the Monkey bared his fangs and let out a battle scream, her fingers spun the dagger in her hand as she held it up in a defensive stance.

"You dare, human! I am the Prince of the Southern Province, I am Hui!" the Monkey screeched to her.

"And I am Sesshomaru-sama's Rin!" Rin snapped, the Monkey produced a sword as he charged her. She yanked his tail towards her sending him scrambling off balanced as she released his tail then leapt at him. Her knife then sliced through his arm as he shoved her upwards, Rin twisted her body as she landed on his shoulders. Clamping her knees on his neck she pulled her weight backwards as she slammed him into the ground then rolled to her feet as she kept the daggered tightly clamped in her fingers.

"And you, Hui, are in my way," Rin snarled defiantly as she then came at the Monkey again. He wasn't ready for her as he then enveloped himself in light and disappeared from the playing field, she stood there looking around then. Shiori came near her as they both looked about the area.

"Let's keep going Rin," Shiori whispered. Rin nodded as she ran through the halls again. There was something wrong with Hui's retreat, and it was bothering her as she ran. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, and it was disconcerting to her. But that wasn't important to her at this moment as she and Shiori raced through the halls and towards the courtyard.

It was important if they wanted any of this palace being left standing that she get to the courtyard. Sesshomaru would destroy this entire castle looking for her. She had seen what had happened to Naraku when he had been looking for her within that spider. The amount of damage her lord could inflict on a place was monumental and far greater than any damage Inuyasha could ever inflict.

"You did not really think you would be escaping that easily? Did you human?" a voice rang through the halls and she and Shiori slammed their backs together. Shiori wasn't a combative person, she had not hand to hand training, but her hanyō ability was creating force fields around whatever she pleased; this was very annoying when one was trying to fight her because her shields were truly invisible until you hit them.

"I'm ready now human," Hui informed her as he appeared at the end of the hall and his double at the other end. Rin's eyes widened and her breath hitched. She was only trained one on one combat so far, not two on one, it was nerve wracking but she shoved her fear aside.

"I am going to my lord, one way or another," she wanred the Monkey.

The Monkeys only smiled twin smiles.

* * *

Sesshomaru shifted his forms again so he was in his humanoid form as he approached the castle. Seeing it did not sooth him, it never had, but he felt Rin there. He could see what she saw and he knew she was there and fighting. He wasn't going to let her be harmed, thinking this he leapt forward as he readied for a fight for there was no way that this was going to be easy. Despite the empty look of his grandmother's castle he knew Qiang had guards patrolling the area. But it didn't matter, for one way or another he was going to get to Rin.

* * *

"You would dare to let my grandpup mark a human thief!?" Xui shouted at her as they wound their way through the palace to where InuKimi knew the back escape exit to be. But after the past minutes of ranting and raving from Xui was finally treading on her last string as she spun around on her heels and grabbed the elder by her throat lifting her in the air as her eyes bled a dangerous shade of red. The Princess gasped as she stumbled away from her then.

"Listen well, you; feeble old fool, I do not dare to interfere with my son or what he is doing with his life. I will not lose him or drive him away like you did my beloved. As to his beloved person; I have always and will always entrust him to Rin's care, she is the only female who is equal to my son; and do not dare to think that I will not tear you apart for insulting my daughter-in-law!" InuKimi snapped as she threw the elder to the ground again and regained her composure quickly as she slipped her hands up her tattered sleeves to help her hide her anger at the elder.

"But a human, InuKimi? Even I could not complain about you because you were at least of a royal line when he presented you to me," Xui sneered as she rubbed her throat and carefully stood. InuKimi frowned, so the old fool did not know of Inuyasha or Izayoi.

"Your son, my beloved mated a human female, her name was Izayoi; he died for her and their hanyō pup; Inuyasha. So do not tell me humans are a disgrace, and I know for a fact that Rin would not only die for my son but she would let him go to love another if she had to. My daughter-in-law is one I am proud to have, and no pedigree bitch you could ever present to my son could ever beat the standards that little human set over five hundred years ago!" InuKimi snapped and then she turned, taking Min from the Princess she resumed leading their escape from this dungeons.

* * *

**Four more chapters!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	213. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 37

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Weapons:** _An Instrument of Offensive or Defensive Combat; Something to Fight With; Anything Used, or Designed to be Used, in Destroying, Defeating, or Injuring an Enemy, as a Knife, a Sword, Ect. …_

* * *

**Chapter 37**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

"Multiplying abilities, that's his double," Shiori informed her then.

"How do you know?" Rin asked in a soft tone.

"That one has no heartbeat," Shiori admitted softly to her and Rin turned to look at the one standing across from Shiori. She looked into the lavender eyes of her friend who was standing there very sure of this and Rin knew better than to question her hearing. It was rather like her lord's sense of smell; it was always right and forever reliable.

"Alright, so this one is real," Rin reaffirmed and Shiori jerked her head. "Good, then you fend off the clone and I'll take care of the real one," Rin decided.

"What!?" Shiori shrieked but Rin had darted off. She wasn't going to hesitate at this point, the Monkey crouched then and Rin prepared to slide. He leapt up, she let gravity pull her down as she slid under him then to her feet, spinning around to kick him. Hui stumbled but his tail snaked around and up her leg yanking her off of her feet. Rin moved her body with it as she slammed her elbow into his armored chest then she twisted in his grasp to grab his ear. Yanking on it with all of her strength she then stabbed his thigh through the armor; the scream was deafening as then his own fangs sunk into her shoulder; she felt it scrape the bone.

The agony of his assault had her screamed. Pulling her blade from it's fleshy sheath she slashed it over her bad shoulder across his face. He hissed as he threw her away from him. Rin hit the wall as she crumbled to the floor.

She didn't have strength of a yōkai, or the speed of one; and she'd freely admit she was out skilled in this instance because he was a more skilled fighter. But she was human, and she didn't give up, with this in mind she scrambled to her feet as she dove out of his way when his foot smashed the wall where he had kicked it in. The dust was blinding but Rin focused past her pain as she focused on breathing and listening.

Hui hit Shiori's shield then, she heard it and she spun around to hurl the dagger she had stolen into him. He screamed in pain and she rushed the sound. Her fingers found the hilt of the stolen dagger then as she shoved it in and she made a calculated strike for his throat.

Hitting his airway had him coming down, Rin slammed her knee upwards as she yanked the dagger out and slammed her elbow down on his spinal cord sending him sprawling into the dust. She then turned as the clone came at her and Shiori shouted a warning. The Clone his a shield around her and slammed into the wall then. Rin spun her dagger in her fingers as she stood there ready for another assault; her body relaxed and ready. The Monkey got up then and hissed at her in a monkey way which pared those huge fangs of his.

She snarled a snarl which would've had any inuyōkai proud of her. Then she rushed him, making the first move as he pulled a sword to deflect her blade. She spun from him; trying to get around him. But it was to no avail as she slashed his shoulder and the metals sang from hitting one another.

Everything in her screamed that now was the time to run, run from this fight but she couldn't and wouldn't leave Shiori to handle this alone.

With this in mind she leapt over that tail which tried to grab her and landed on it to slice it off, the Monkey screamed, and hit her away. Rin grunted as she hit the ground and slid. Winded she saw him leaping at her with those huge teeth of his bared and she lifted her feet up just as he was about to slam into her to shove him up as she rolled to her feet. Gasping for breath on her feet she glared into those eyes which were filled with a hatred she knew so well and she smiled a cold smile at her opponent.

Arms grabbed her then, she shoved her weight back into him causing stumble. She bit the hand that came over her mouth, her teeth sliced through the fur of his hand and tasted his blood. He howled in pain as she brought her legs up to shove Hui's duplicate back from her as they crashed into a wall. Hui's gripped loosened enough on her then as she stabbed his exposed abdomen then as she shoved that blade through his armor. The Monkey shoved her away from him then and into his friend.

She ducked the arms as she slashed her leg out on the back of his knees sending the tailless monkey into the floor. Rin then darted to Shioi as she grabbed her friend's wrist and ran. They really, really, really needed to get to the courtyard. She left those two Monkeys strewn about as she ran. They meant nothing to her, and Sesshomaru was more important to her than her current pains.

There was a dangerous growl which made the palace tremble then and Rin slammed into the wall with Shiori as dirt fell from the rafters.

"Sesshomaru," Rin whispered.

"Rin we need to get out of this tunnel before it collapses!" Shiori shrieked.

Rin nodded in agreement as she ran. Shiori's shield was holding up as they burst through the collapsing tunnel. Leaping into the cold winter's air as she gasped for a breath.

Her eyes locked onto her lord's then, and those gold eyes. And for just one moment in her life, everything stilled and stopped as she stared at her lord and sensed his relief at seeing her. Then those gold eyes glinted dangerously as he lunged towards them.

Shiori screamed and Rin looked over her shoulder into a set of lavender eyes as she gasped in shock.

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**Three More Chapters Tonight!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	214. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 38

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Weapons:** _An Instrument of Offensive or Defensive Combat; Something to Fight With; Anything Used, or Designed to be Used, in Destroying, Defeating, or Injuring an Enemy, as a Knife, a Sword, Ect. …_

* * *

**Chapter 38**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

All he saw was all of her black hair flying and those dark eyes were wild and filled with a spit fire from battle and blood and bruises forming on her face. But she still looked beautiful to him as the relief filled him from seeing her.

And then his eyes saw Qiang behind her and everything in his world narrowed to defending his mate and his world from the Dragon. For he did not care about the political aspects of this fight; everything he was fighting for was right before him as he lunged forward.

Rin tackled Shiori out of his way as he pulled his claws back and his poison claws as he reached to kill the Dragon behind the girls. Qiang tried to dive behind them but he noted that Shiori's force field was up and around them as they rolled around in a bubble harmlessly. Qiang's eyes widened then in fear as Sesshomaru lunged for him. The Dragon pulled his sword then, Sesshomaru ducked from the blade as he leapt into the air and glared down at the Dragon. He wasn't certain this would work but it was worth trying as he focused on his bond with Bakusaiga and the light poured from his claws then as he floated above Qiang.

The Dragon snarled as he leapt up; Sesshomaru slashed the light through the air then as a sound like lightning cracked through the air as it hit Qiang's blade. There was a growl from the Dragon but it meant nothing to him as he let light envelope him and then he slammed into Qiang then. Qiang enveloped himself in a red light as they lunged at one another and slamming into one another. The thunder rolled from their collisions as they slammed into one another as he grabbed Qiang's wrist and twisted his wrists then.

"Do not ever try to use what's mine!" Sesshomaru snarled as he dragged Qiang to him.

"So you're attached to the human, should've known you'd be so weak as to fall for one of them!" Qiang snarled and now Sesshomaru's lips curled up dangerously as he finally felt it ripping through the air towards them.

"You're right, I'm very attached to that human," he admitted. "But it's a secret you'll be taking to your grave."

Bakusaiga slammed into his left hand as he then released Qiang and grabbed the hilt of his fang and felt the power surge through him then as he slashed through the Dragon as he sent Qiang slamming into the stone ground of the courtyard. Landing softly he looked over to Rin and Shiori; both of them were a bit bloodied but they looked fine.

"Rin, leave," he ordered.

"Yes my lord," Rin said as she got to her feet, he saw her move and pick up the black scabbard of Tenseiga. "My lord?" as she held up the fang as an offering. He wanted to take it; after all it was his father's only gift to him, but he felt Rin would need it more at this point.

"Take Shiori and leave," he repeated. She nodded as she grabbed Shiori's hand and the girls ran into the palace together. He had no doubt Rin would be fine, she would find safety or defend herself, so he only had to focus on Qiang which was a good deal to him as he turned his attention back to the Dragon who was picking himself up off of the ground.

"If I had known it was the human and not the Halfling you were attached to then I'd have attacked her first and made you watch as I ripped her apart; I'll just have catch her now!" Qiang hissed.

"Hn," Sesshomaru grunted as he lifted Bakusaiga before him as his threat. He would kill Qiang like he had destroyed Takemaru and Sō'unga. No one was ever hurting Rin, again. And if that meant he stood between her and the Gates of the Netherworld then so be it, but she wasn't leaving him again. He wasn't losing her this time.

"Prepare to die Sesshomaru-sama," Qiang said with a smug grin on his lips revealing his fangs as his own sword materialized in his hand. Sesshomaru smirked, Qiang made the first move as usual and Sesshomaru was ready.

Blocking the blade he sidestepped around Qiang as he then slashed the Dragon across his back before slashing again. The metal sang as it hit but he saw the unease in Qiang's eyes as Bakusaiga released a surge of protective power. Both he and his fangs were very, very, very attached to Rin and they all surged with this sensation when she was threatened.

The power Bakusaiga released in a normal fight was crippling to his enemies; but to those that threatened his mate Bakusaiga released an aura which would crush them. And only those on his level of power; which were few and rare; were only crippled with the aura released. Looking into lavender eyes he saw the fear then, and for the first time ever he saw a wise choice in Qiang's eyes then.

"What the hell!?" Qiang gasped as Sesshomaru pressed down on the Dragon and releasing a fraction of his true power again as he felt his inner beast rumbling at the challenge this Dragon had issued to him. This was the first real threat towards Rin he had encountered since Takemaru, Sō'unga, and Magatsuhi; and it was going to be eliminated.

"Where did you get this power?" Qiang hissed and Sesshomaru pressed down harder on him and the pressure smashed the ground apart beneath Qiang's feet.

Finally Qiang managed to release a fraction of his own power and shove Sesshomaru back, he leapt into the air and he glared at Qiang. The Dragon had a surge of power and Sesshomaru smirked at the pressure hitting him; it was equal to Inuyasha's now, and that was about the level of an average daiyōkai. Sesshomaru was unimpressed but he was willing to indulge in this fight.

* * *

**Well, I forgot about an event this weekend and haven't had writing time... oh well, next weekend I guess.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	215. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 39

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuaysha**

* * *

**Weapons:** _An Instrument of Offensive or Defensive Combat; Something to Fight With; Anything Used, or Designed to be Used, in Destroying, Defeating, or Injuring an Enemy, as a Knife, a Sword, Ect. …_

* * *

**Chapter 39**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

Rin just grabbed Shiori and ran like the wind for just as they got away they were both throw off their feet by the releasing of a fraction of her lord's true power. Rin slammed into Shiori and into the wall to hear a sickening snap of her arm then. She refused to look at her useless arm hanging by her side; to look would create more pain in her expierences. Ignoring her pain she gritted her teeth to look over to Shiori.

"He's really, really powerful; how can you even stand near it!? It's crushing me!" Shiori panted and Rin looked to where a giant white dog had appeared; a dog far larger than he had been when transforming for Magatsuhi and Rin understood and knew then; she knew just how careful her growing lord was. And Sesshomaru was by no means finished in growth; but feeling his immense power, it was petrifying and awe inspiring to her.

"Because, I'm my lord's Rin and I do not fear him, let's go Shiori!" Rin tugged on Shiori's sleeve then as they stumbled back into the palace just as a newly transformed dragon slammed into the palace near them. The roof was crumbling around them, Rin shoved Shiori into an opening as they raced up the stairs.

A scream had Rin looking over her shoulder as she saw Hui hiss at her.

Did the monkey never die!? She wondered as she just shoved Shiori up the stairs faster as they were now racing to escape. Rin didn't like this, she really hated that she couldn't feel her throbbing arm; knowing it was broken didn't help matters either. Once up the stairs Rin slammed the door shut as she slid the plank of wood in place as a baracade and stepped back. That wasn't going to keep a daiyōkai like him out for long, and both Shiori and she knew it as they looked around the room. Rin wanted to scream when she felt her arm snap back into place.

Stumbling from the pain she rested against the door of their hiding room as she tried to think of what to do. Something slammed forcefully into the door jolting her back to the reality of their situation as she scrambled to press her slight weight against the door.

"Rin? I don't think we're supposed to be in this room," Shiori hissed to her as she too pressed her weight against the door. They both faltered a bit as the door was slammed into again as Shiori clearly fought of her fears. Rin looked over her shoulder as she scrambled against the door hearing the wood splinter and breaking, and her own arm slowly mending in a painful way. Clenching her teeth to keep her jaw from dropping and her from celebrating at her own dumb luck in this instance she stared with wide eyes as a crazy plan filled her head; an Inuyasha like plan if it could even be called a plan.

Rin was standing in a room chockfull of fireworks, and as the door dislodged her again she pressed harder against the door.

"Shiori, I hope you have a very strong force field!" Rin said desperately as she left her friend at the door and looked for something to light something in her.

"Rin! you're not going to!" Shiori gasped.

"Yep! Be ready!" Rin shouted over her shoulder, and she found what she was looking for as she used the match to light a fuse then she grabbed Shiori's hand as they ran to the opposite side of the room. She felt Shiori's shield pulse around them once the door was ripped apart and in splinters on the ground with a foamed mouthed Monkey standing before them.

"You stupid little human! Did you not know who I am!? I am the mighty Hui of the Monkeys!"

"You're dead, Hui!" Rin snapped just as she saw a bit of brilliant read and then everything seemed to ignite and explode sending her and Shiori flying out of their tower as they bounced down the mountain in Shiori's shield. The mere force of their landing had Rin lost for breath as her world wavered between clear and fuzzy with black around the edges of it.

"I can't believe that worked," was the last thing from Shiori she heard as the blackness took over her and her body went limp as she tried to catch her breath. Sesshomaru-sama, was the last thought swirling through her mind as she surrendered.

* * *

"_**RIN!**_" InuKimi shouted when she heard the explosion and saw a bubble with the two girls in it come flying out of the smoke and bounce down the mountain, InuKimi had run then. Now as she saw the ash, the black staining the snowy white her heart was in a panic; for if Rin died this time there'd be no saving her. That thought alone had her in a panic, for losing Rin could actually kill Sesshomaru once he fully acknowledged the mating bond, and from what she had witnessed earlier with Rin in those halls, Rin and Sesshomaru were nearly perfectly bonded.

Dashing over to the smoke she saw Shiori sitting up rubbing her head, and Rin laying there limply in the snow.

"I can't believe that worked," Shiori mumbled but InuKimi ignored the hanyō as she dropped the maid girl softly by Shiori and turned Rin over. The human was still breathing and InuKimi fell to her knees as the relief swamped her and she gathered up that little human in her arms, whilst rocking her. Such a foolish human, InuKimi thought as she looked at the nasty bruising on Rin's brow and face.

"My lady, Min needs assistance, I'll tend to Rin," Shiori said softly.

"Yes, do that, take good care of her Shiori." InuKimi ordered; more for their sakes' than Rin's; Sesshomaru's wrath where Rin was concerned was something to fear.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	216. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 40

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Weapons:** _An Instrument of Offensive or Defensive Combat; Something to Fight With; Anything Used, or Designed to be Used, in Destroying, Defeating, or Injuring an Enemy, as a Knife, a Sword, Ect. …_

* * *

**Chapter 40**

_**Memories, 3 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

The serpent like Dragon wove his way around Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru enveloped himself in light as he evaded the crushing coils of the Dragon. His fury fueled him as he grew in size, compared to his father he was still small but he would not finish growing for another thousand or so years. However, he was a huge inu daiyōkai when in his true form, being the massive beast he was as he landed lightly across from the Dragon who was perched palace.

Snarling he snapped his venomous jaws as his hackles rose up and his lips pulled back to reveal his fangs as his blood red eyes searched for the fastest way to kill his opponent. Fear was not what he was feeling at this moment as he waited. His tail flicked in his irritation. He would wait though; the Dragon would need to make the first move if he were to want him to engage in a fight for life.

In his fury Qiang lunged for him Sesshomaru saw his opportunity as the Dragon came at him in full speed. Leaping out of his path, Qiang twisted to get him but Sesshomaru's jaws snapped onto the Dragon's neck and with one shake he heard Qiang's neck snap as he threw the Dragon from him with a thunderous crash into the mountain side. There was a flash of light as Qiang shifted forms and fell. Sesshomaru enveloped himself in light as he lunged forward and landed before Qiang's broken bleeding and dying as he stood there.

"How?" Qiang breathed, Sesshomaru pulled Bakusaiga then.

"I've surpassed InuTaisho," Sesshomaru answered simply as he sliced off the Dragon's head and walked away. None of it mattered to him as he then turned to look at the destroyed palace and then blood caught his attention.

"Rin," he turned as he again leapt towards where he scented her blood as he flew over the palace, over all the flames and smoke towards Rin then. His heart was pounding dangerously as he landed in the snow and saw Rin sprawled in the snow and ash with Shiori over her looking her over. He growled lowly and everyone looked up to him. Shiori scrambled away from Rin then, it was instinctive as every scrambled out of his way when his mother stood before him then.

"She'll be alright Sesshomaru, your beloved person was hurt though and she needs to be looked after, let Shiori look over her," InuKimi ordered. He said nothing as he walked past his mother and sat beside Rin then while holding Bakusaiga tightly in hand. Tenseiga called to him but he ignored it. It wasn't like Bakusaiga and something he could summon and though he wanted it in his hands, he did not plan on leaving his mate now.

"Sesshomaru, this is going to hurt Rin, but I have to fix her shoulder," Shiori informed him.

"Hn," he replied and he looked over to his grandmother's eyes boring into him. He snarled lightly at her then, for all of this her fault for not being honest about all of this mess from the start. He knew that if he knew this mess was brewing this dangerously then he'd have never brought Rin with him. Of this he was certain, he'd have come reguardless but Rin would've stayed with Inuyasha and his human pack. She'd have been safer there, and he hated knowing that as he looked down at her.

"Sesshomaru, surely you cannot be attached to that human!" Xui finally snapped and he glared at his grandmother.

"Can Rin be moved?" he asked Shiori.

"Yes, but be careful with her head, my lord," Shiori answered. He carefully picked up the human and looked over to his mother who nodded as he enveloped them with light. He was taking Rin home, he was leaving with her now, and as he flew over palace he landed to pick up Tenseiga again as he left then. Rin never roused in his arms.

* * *

InuKimi turned towards Xui then.

"We are leaving, Shiori ready Min for traveling," InuKimi ordered as she towered over Xui then. "Do not expect or require our support ever in the near future for your insults to my son's mate, and insults to me. Even InuTaisho was better than that, Xui and you've disgraced his memory and honor. Also, if you ever put any of my charges in danger with your thoughtlessness, you will rue the day I was sired, for I will make your life a hell none can compare too."

"My lady, Min's bleeding is slowing but I cannot remove the pressure from her if you want her to live," Shiori informed her. "Also, the traitor who hurt Rin is behind you, my lady."

InuKimi's temper flared upon scenting Qing then as she spun on her heel and the light spewed from her claws as she slashed through the foolish demon for having harmed her daughter-in-law and charge. Shiori winced as the girl fell but InuKimi did not care as she turned to Xui.

"Clean your own house next time." InuKimi turned to go collect the Cimmerian Chariot for them, for she was not staying here any longer.

Sighing, InuKimi understood then why InuTaisho had run to her land, changed his name from Toga and lived the life of a warrior. The games here were too tiring for her to keep up and she was so furious for the attempt on not only her own life but Rin's and Shiori's. The only good thing about this trip was that her son and Rin's bond was going deeper than most mated bonds. It was her only relief right now, for she would never want her son to feel lonely or unloved. Rin loved him, she did and she could see it even despite all that had happened in these past weeks she could see Rin's love for her son.

A tattered scroll on the ground caught her attention as she recognized her son's elegant scrawl. Lifting it up scroll she read over the scroll out of curiousity.

_A Curse of Hatred_

_Broken through Love and Loss_

_Forged through Fate_

_Bathed in Blood and Sorrow_

_Given Up to Time_

_Surrendered By Love to Break_

_Separated By Time_

_To Reunite Again_

Those haunting word slipped from her claws as she felt a pain in her heart. _Damn you, InuTaisho_, she thought painfully as she fought off the tears understanding then. It was now she knew everything that had been happening was because of this, because of a Curse of Hatred, and it was killing her now knowing, and knowing that soon Rin would run.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	217. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 41

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Remembrances:** _The Act of Remembering; a Holding in Mind, or Bringing to Mind; Recollection…_

* * *

**Chapter 41**

_**Memories, 4 Years After the Return of Kagome...**_

For the rest of her stay with his mother, Sesshomaru hovered beside her, but she didn't point this out to him as the rest of winter slipped by peacefully. Rin was only a little puzzled at how closely her lord was staying with her as she and he usually stayed apart for long periods of times.

And now the spring was here, which was why they were standing outside of Edo together.

"My lord, really, I'll be fine!" Rin insisted and only got a stony glare as they walked past the Bone Eater's Well. She just sighed as they walked onwards and she stopped at Inuyasha's tree, her slim fingers reached out to trace the visible scar of Kikyo's and Inuyasha's failed love and the start of Kagome's and Inuyasha's love.

"Rin," her lord called her name softly as she stood there.

"I've always loved this tree," Rin informed him softly as a new warm spring breeze danced through the forest. Everything came alive in spring and she loved this time of year, it was beautiful and it made her feel alive. Winter was a wonderful time, but spring… well, her new fifteen year old mind loved spring for it was the only time of year that always made her happy. It always made her think of her happy family, summer they were slaughtered, but spring, spring was a time they had been alive and she had been happy. This tree reminded her of that as her head tilted back and she smiled as her eyes closed and she let herself feel alive.

"Hn," he sounded close and she looked up to him then; he was over her shoulder with a blank, but distant look in those brilliant gold eyes.

"It's so peaceful, and happy; despite the scars, the hardships and the pains, it's happy here. everything regrew, green and determined, that's what I love about spring. It's new, it's alive, and it's beautiful in a determined way, after all the hardships and death of autumn and winter everything comes back. It's like it never left, and it makes me happy," Rin admitted as her fingers trailed over the bark.

"Hn," he replied and she smiled looking back at him.

"Winter reminds me of you, my lord, but inside your heart I think you're a lot more like spring," Rin admitted as she looked past him and towards the forest which would lead them to Edo and her smile fell from her lips as she looked to her lord.

"She loves you, Sesshomaru-sama, whoever she was, she loves you. Love doesn't die, it doesn't fade, it grows, it's like spring, it never truly goes away, my lord." She placed her hand on his armor, over his heart then as she stepped nearer to him. A smile tugged her lips, it wasn't a happy smile or a sad smile, it was a bittersweet smile and she knew it as she felt it spread on her lips. "And you'll always have my love as well, my lord. I love you Sesshomaru. Forever."

And with that she left him as she jogged for Edo at the shouts of Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippo and grinned with glee at seeing the kitsune then.

"Shippo! You would not believe the winter I had!" Rin declared as she tackle-hugged her friend and sent him sprawling on the ground.

"Ack! Rin! When did you get back!?" Shippo sputtered as he sat up with a face full of dirt then.

"Just now! And I went to China, fought a Monkey yōkai, saw a Dragon, blew up Sesshomaru's and Inuyasha's grandmother's palace and Shiori was my sidekick the entire time!" Rin informed him proudly and childishly.

"What!? How is it you get all the fun!?" Shippo whined as she got off of him and offered him her hand. Hoisting himself up his bushy tail swished about in irritation once he was standing.

"Because I'm not a stick in the mud like you," Rin informed him tartly as she grinned with mischief. "Shall we plot a prank on Kohaku or raise chaos for Inuyasha? Or have Kagome Sit him into the next century?" Rin asked good heartedly as they walked arm in arm.

"You know, I really missed having you around, Rin," Shippo informed her.

"But of course you did; I'm adorable, how could you not?" Rin teased as she shoved him in the ribs, he laughed goodheartedly. She looked over her shoulder and saw her lord watching her with amused gold eyes.

"Just a moment Shippo, I'll be right back," she whispered as she pulled away from him then and jogged back up the hill to her lord. He looked down at her with serious gold eyes, and she sensed his sadness. She didn't know why he was so lonely and sad all the time, but she did know how to alieve some of his loneliness. Taking his hand in hers'.

"Come on, Sesshomaru-sama, you must come have tea with Kaede and Kagome, perhaps even spar with Inuyasha. It'll be fun," she informed him happily as she pulled him after her, with a determined strength.

Hesitantly she felt his hand wrap around her fingers, and she smiled to herself as she pulled him over to Shippo who just looked happy; if a bit startled before slinging his arm around her shoulders on the other side of her. Rin felt happy, she felt loved, and she felt free walking hand in hand with her lord towards Edo. She never noticed the slight smile on her lord's lips as they walked towards Edo and towards Kagome and Inuyasha's arguing voices. It was so good to be home, Rin loved coming here, but it wasn't home. She had long since learned home was where her heart was and her heart, well, that was securely in the clawed hands of the male who was hesitantly holding her own hand and it was making her ridiculously happy right now.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	218. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 42

**Instinct &amp; Innocence...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Remembrances:** _The Act of Remembering; a Holding in Mind, or Bringing to Mind; Recollection…_

* * *

**Chapter 42**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Kagome bolted up gasping for breath as she woke with the weight of the Meidostone nestled securely on her chest. Gasping for breath she looked around the room she was in as she looked over to InuKimi who stood there indifferently with her hands concealed in her sleeves.

"What…? What was that?" Kagome gasped as she stared at InuKimi who walked over to her with a sad look in her gold eyes.

"That was every emotion, every moment, every gift of life Rin has had, and I have had, and Sesshomaru, and Shiori and everyone who has ever been touched by Rin; all of their collective emotions together within the Stone, even InuTaisho's fondness of Rin can be found within the Stone," InuKimi said sadly as she took it from her. Kagome felt the tears slipping from her eyes as she looked at the Meidostone and then to InuKimi who just slipped it over her head and back around her neck.

"I… I'd have never known," Kagome whispered thinking of everything which had been exchanged between Rin and Sesshomaru. That was a love she knew she would never have, that kind of love, it was no fleeting thing, or fickle love, or even vain love. Rin was willing to give up everything, her life included, for Sesshomaru's happiness; even if it were to pain her. And even more amazing and saddening was that Sesshomaru felt the same way about Rin, he'd give up everything for her. It was truly amazing to her as she sat up to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"It was not for you to know, but you would not leave well enough alone," InuKimi informed her icily as she stood there looking sadly at the Meidostone.

"But, he…he's a monster…" Kagome whispered.

"No, he's my son and he's extremely lethal, but he's about as much of a monster as Inuyasha," InuKimi defended and Kagome bit her lip in guilt.

"I didn't know, and I just…"

"You did not think that Rin would be so foolish so as to entrust herself, her heart, her love and her life into the hands of a monster when it was human bandits, true monsters, who obliterated her family before her eyes? Rin may be a young human but she is an ancient one, who loves only once and she loves with a ferocity and loyalty few will ever know. She is a very strong, very wonderful young human girl and she choose my son, Sesshomaru may have chosen to save her but Rin also chose to follow him, and you could never accept it. Rin is the last person, human or yōkai or hanyō, whom Sesshomaru would harm, so your worries for the girl were unfounded and offensive, be glad Rin has never questioned your relationship with Inuyasha, for that is exactly how she felt about this."

"But I just want her happy," Kagome whispered as her hand clutched over her heart. All the pain, and sorrow, and love Rin had felt for Sesshomaru, everything she felt for Sesshomaru far exceeded the normal definitions of love and what one would do for their love.

"And whatever made you think she wasn't happy? She was only ever unhappy when you persisted on her marriage to Kohaku, other than that she was happy. She loves you, she loves Inuyasha, she looks to you as her family, and it hurt her that you seemed to think she was not happy with Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru only ever wanted her happiness, just as she only wanted Sesshomaru's happiness. You were blind, and now you've seen Rin's point of view of her life and situation."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I didn't know, I didn't think she was in love, I thought it was puppy love, or hero worship, I didn't think she was in love, she was so young," Kagome sobbed and InuKimi came to stand over her.

"I did not think it was love either, the first time I met her."

Kagome looked up to her through tearful eyes.

"You didn't?" Kagome sniffled.

"No, she was a pup and no pup is ever in love; however it was no puppy love, though there is a bit of hero worship in her love, but it was never puppy love. I saw that when I brought her back the second time, he had marked her and the love in those eyes when she opened them…

"That's the kind of love I saw in a woman once, a woman who looked at my pup and fought for him, and nearly died for him. I saw it again in that same woman two centuries later, she looked to him with a love of a woman and a man, she's always loved him. Rin loves him, and he loves her, and that kind of love, I've only seen it in them. That kind of love Kagome, it's painful, it's wonderful, it's bittersweet, but in the end it's all that matters for them. Sesshomaru will wait for her, and she for him, and you know what, I'm proud of that and of them. I'm happy they love that way, and I wish I understood just how deep it went. But our wishes aren't important when it is not our business, now please, leave them be."

"I didn't know," Kagome whispered.

"I know, no one knows, and it is to remain that way. However, I would speak to your mate, he would understand this love better, for he loved you and your incarnation very deeply at the same time at one point. And he can tell you of that unique kind of pain if you desire to truly understand Rin and Sesshomaru." InuKimi suggested and Kagome stared at the elder woman as she wiped her tears away then as she stood up and hurried away.

"And Kagome, you are not to ever tell Sesshomaru about what you've seen, understood?" InuKimi stated coldly as she stood there.

"Yes," Kagome nodded as she walked away the hurried off to find Inuyasha as the tears continued slipping down her cheeks.

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**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	219. Instincts & Innocence: Chapter 43

**Instincts &amp; Innocence...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Remembrances:** _The Act of Remembering; a Holding in Mind, or Bringing to Mind; Recollection…_

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**Chapter 43**

_**Inuyasha's Time in the Edo Village...**_

Sesshomaru's head snapped around when the skies darkened, there was a blast of lightning as he heard a scream and what he saw had him frowning.

Shippo, electrocuted and flying and a very angry looking female he figured to be Sōten flying after him with her fist poised for a fight.

It was most amusing to see however it also had him flying towards the stupid fox and the furious thunder yōkai, he saw her dragon friend Koryū joining the demoness then. With a flick of his wrist he slashed through the fighting pair and appeared between them, his left hand tightening around a sheathed Bakusaiga.

"Enough!" he ordered.

"He marked me! Without my permission!' Sōten shouted, his eyes narrowed on her and she shrunk away from him as Shippo then went crashing into the earth.

"I do not care, no fighting other commanders, we must be unified in appearances," he stated coldly as he floated there. And the young thunder yōkai shrunk closer to her dragon friend, he knew then she knew how she had reacted was wrong. Not that he particularly cared but he needed those under his command to at least appear as subordinate and organized while they worked on their plans to integrate themselves into the humans to disappear.

"Yes my lord, it will not happen again," Sōten said with a low bow and he enveloped himself in light again before retreating straight for the well to continue his examination of Bakusaiga.

Softly his feet touched the lip of the well and he stood in that small shed Kagome had said would be there alone to draw his fang then.

Again he was greeted by a blade as black as night and slightly resembled the Meidō Zangetsuha; it looked as if Bakusaiga's blade was the cosmos now and it was a beautifully terrifying sight to behold which had him carefully examining the blade for flaws. He saw nothing but he desired to discuss this with someone with more experience with blades and yōkai weaponry. He would apparently be having a need to visit Tōtōsai about this newest development on his fang because if he didn't happen to know it's venomous translucent scent he'd have thought it someone else's weapon.

Sheathing Bakusaiga he walked out of the shed then he turned to slide the door shut gently, his hand rested there for a mere moment before he turned to walk away. Again he pulled up his customary defenses around his heart and mind, his normal personality; he would not be considered soft by these pests who dare to challenge him. And while the yōkai integrated themselves into the human society, concealing their presences he would be here waiting for Rin. She would return to him.

Just perhaps not quite yet.

He could be patient though while he waited for her, there was always time for him and when she returned…

He was never letting her out of his sight again! Never, never, never! She would be chained to him because Great Kami-sama he could not continue living with this pain when she left him! Now he knew why yōkai avoided loving at all costs, the never ending, all consuming, dull and painful ache in his chest. He didn't like the feeling but it felt like the past five hundred years of his life and he wasn't about to roll over and submit to it, he'd continue fighting and obliterating all who threatened his link to Rin.

He walked off the grounds of what would one day be the Higurashi Family Shrine and walked to the edge of the hill, he could scent the humans from here and it churned his stomach. They reeked of disease and fear, he hated that scent and it had his internal beast snarling with disgust and hatred as he stood there looking over the forest. However, this was neither here nor there and he had other things to do, most importantly he had to have a talk with a certain smith, Tōtōsai about Bakusaiga's newest development.

Turning away he walked off then enveloped himself in light again as he streaked over the sky towards the smith.

* * *

Inuyasha just stared dumbly at his wife who seemed to be gasping for breath after having run into him.

"D-did you know?" she demanded sharply.

"Know what!?" he demanded as he caught whatever was in his mate's hand before it could fall to the ground. It was obviously expensive and not hers' and he really didn't need her breaking it because it scented of Sesshomaru's mother.

"Did you know? This entire time did you know how much pain they were in?" she whispered and he stiffened.

"No, but I knew Rin was hurt," he answered honestly.

"I can't believe I was so careless! I can't believe I hurt them so much," Kagome whispered and he just brought his arms around her because there was nothing else he could do. He could never truly explain to Kagome the depth of some bonds, and Rin and Sesshomaru were definitely a strong bond. Despite Rin's wild ways, and carefree spirit she was a gentle person at heart who hid her pains and woes. Rin had once told him that she could take the pain, she could take the suffering, and she could endure hardships of loving Sesshomaru and others because they were worth it. Her believing in that always astounded him especially with her lack of trust in humans and people.

"It's alright Kagome, Rin never took it to heart," he informed her.

"But Sesshomaru might've," Kagome murmured.

"I doubt it Kagome, Rin always loved him and nothing you could do changed that." He assured her because Kaede had tried to change Rin's heart. Rin's emotions though were no smitten or weak passing emotions, they were as deep as what he felt for Kagome. What he had once felt for Kikyo, the only difference was one could not manipulate Rin as he and Kikyo had been manipulated. Her love was so strong for Sesshomaru it was almost tangible.

"Will she ever forgive me?" Kagome whispered.

"Knowing Rin, she already has," he assured his mated. She pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"Where are you going Inuyasha?"Kagome asked him in a curious tone.

"Miroku and I are heading for the frontlines. We'll be of the most use there for this plan of Sesshomaru's," Inuyasha admitted.

* * *

**That's the End of Part V: Instincts &amp; Innocence folks!**

**Thank You To All My Silent Readers, I Hope You Have Enjoy Part V: Instincts &amp; Innocence! =)**

**A Special Thanks To My Reviewers, though I do not write for reviews you should know they are greatly appreciated! =)**

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**That's all for now folks!**

**Part VI: Emptiness Inside will be coming March 3, 2016! =)**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	220. PART VI: EMPTINESS INSIDE

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Part VI**

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**Emptiness Inside**

Ever wonder how it feels to be utterly alone in a sea of people who are friends and family?

Well he lived it, he survived it and I'll never understand how my dad survived it all without mom beside him. Nor will we understand how mom survived all those years without dad with her. They seem so lonely and sad away from one another, even for short periods of times. Together they were complete, and I've never seen that.

It's not in my aunts and uncles, it's not something my grandmother has had in her life, and it's something she said is a once in a millennium love. Even our great-grandmother admits to that.

So how did they survive alone without the other for so long?

Mama was busy, she'll swear to it and has us as the proof of her busy life.

But Dad, well, we've never really known how he survived alone without mom besides him. I wonder how he survived when mom says she barely got by, even when she was busy with us…

* * *

**Sample of what's to come! =)**

**(= Will Return March 3, 2016! =)**


	221. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 1

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Loneliness:** _The Condition of Being Lonely; Solitude; Seclusion…_

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**Chapter 1**

His feet silently landed on ground to look around at the smith's forge, Bakusaiga was trembling in a way that made Sesshomaru think there was danger until he walked into the forge. Tōtōsai was working on a weapon when he walked in, Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed a bit in frustration and a bit out of habit; Kami knew he had despised most everyone associated with his father. Tōtōsai was not exempted from that contentment.

"Tōtōsai," Sesshomaru said coldly and the elder ceased his working as he noticed him standing there. If it were possible then Tōtōsai's eyes widen; partially in fear and he could see that there was something else there too but what he couldn't identify.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Tōtōsai mumbled nervously as he stared at him. "What can I do for you?"

Sesshomaru drew Bakusaiga then, revealing the midnight blade of the fang, it held tints of blue and green in it, it just oozed an aura of threatening danger and pain, he liked the changes but he wished to understand them. Tōtōsai stood up then and walked over to inspect the fang, Sesshomaru did not react as the old coot took the blade from him and looked it over.

"Interesting, every, very interesting; I never thought it would work, but it appears it truly was that simple," Tōtōsai said in an amused and fascinated tone. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed even more and more dangerously then. "She truly broke the curse, severed Bakusaiga's indecisiveness."

"What happened to Bakusaiga?" Sesshomaru growled dangerously, mostly he felt like murdering the older yōkai for the reference to 'her'. He knew who she was, she was Rin obviously and he hated this old man for speaking of her. It brought an old, never ceasing ache to his heart to merely think of her. It was rather painful and it felt so good, like a drug he had never thought he'd need. Everything that human had ever given him had meant everything to her.

"I always thought it would need her blood, but you would never dare to let her blood touch the blade, now it's been bathed in it's mother's blood, it's been given consciousness and life in a way and it claims you. also, it seems to have absorbed a particularly powerful and dangerous Curse of Hatred which should have killed you," Tōtōsai informed him as he handed Bakusaiga back to him. Taking it Sesshomaru felt a surge of it's own thoughts, memories and emotions but he shoved them all back.

"Only one other yōkai sword has ever been able to do that, and it was banished to the Netherlands by you and your brother, t'is truly amazing that Bakusaiga grew so rapidly and quickly when you've only had it for eight years, is it not?"

"What exactly happened to it? And how did it absorb a Curse of Hatred?" Sesshomaru asked coldly as he slid the ebony blade into the ivory sheath which it resided in.

"Most yōkai weapons are forged by a yōkai, and made for not greater purpose than to fight with it's master. Each weapon is alive in a way, and is never fully awaken by the master's choice. However, you fang was not commissioned to be created by you, a human gathered it, a yōkai smith forged it, a daiyōkai summoned it to protect the human who created it to save her daiyōkai lover.

"The human in question renounced the gods of her people, renounced her humanity, abandoned her kind, and betrayed her people to save a daiyōkai and to create a weapon of which only gods would be able to obtain. A daiyōkai sired Bakusaiga, and summoned it to protect a creature which he despises more than the gods, to turn his back on the generations of hatred of the yōkai kind, to stand before a curse and take it, then to surrender his life to save a human who was no longer human. I dare say Sesshomaru, your story is one even the gods could never rival or understand. And all it took was a human's blood and sacrifice and selflessness to let Bakusaiga exceed the power of any yōkai blade.

"Rin's blood severed the fang's indecisiveness to give you a power of which no yōkai or daiyōkai would ever obtain. And you earned this power when you sacrificed your love and attachment to the human girl and surrendered her to the fates, it brought Bakusaiga to a new level of power, god like power. With that power though it absorbed your Curse of Hatred, severing your worldly ties from the world. You have truly exceeded your father's powers and strength now, because you did what InuTaisho could never do, you let go, you surrendered." Tōtōsai explained seeming pleased with what he had said.

However, Sesshomaru hadn't let Rin go yet, she still had a firm hold on his heart and a very special part of him with her, a part of him which he would admit he didn't want unless she was here.

Rin gave him mercy.

"Dare I say that you've also done the imposible for a yōkai; for we, unlike gods can not sire children indescriminantly; so congratulations Sesshomaru. You and Rin have had your first child," Tōtōsai mused, Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly in shock at the announcement.

Then he growled dangerously at the old man's chuckling.

"Bakusaiga is now not only a weapon but a member of your families, and will hold council with you even if you should not wish it. Your son there will be protective of what is perceived of as his, which is you and Rin, but it will thirst for battle. It is the first sword since Sō'unga to be aware of itself and to be alive, but there's something more than just that. I'm not certain, but I think that when the time comes it will run to Rin to be her aid, should she need it and will permit itself to be summoned by you should you need it.

"What you have there, Sesshomaru-sama, is so much more than a fang or mere weapon. You hold a weapon which gods will want, which men will crave, and yōkai will kill for, but it is loyal to only you and Rin, use this new power wisely for it is an immense and formidable power.

"To absorb a Curse of Hatred, well that is a feat only gods are capable of.

"And know, my lord, that gods will be after you and Bakusaiga for that in the coming war. For the Gods are aligning themselves with the humans this time."

Sesshomaru nodded in understanding.

"Where is Rin? Is the Curse of Hatred broken or merely repressed?" Sesshomaru asked finally after absorbing the new information about Bakusaiga.

"That is more complicated…" the old man muttered nervously.

Sesshomaru lifted a brow and he felt Bakusaiga pulse with frustration as well.

* * *

**I had a stroke of brilliance with how this part goes and it's started flowing! ㈴0 So here's a taste of things to come!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	222. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 2

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Loneliness:**_The Condition of Being Lonely; Solitude; Seclusion…_

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**Chapter 2**

"Where is Rin?" he stated again colder, harder as his eyes narrowed even more on the old yōkai smith who was looking very nervous now. It wasn't something he wanted to discuss with Tōtōsai but he had to know where Rin was, he had too; even Bakusaiga was demanding to know where Rin was. It was strange for him to hear Bakusaiga, but it was something he could get used to it in time. Right now though, he just wanted, no; he needed to know where Rin was. When she was.

She had yet to be found in the well again, and he had spent centuries waiting for her. He was still waiting for her. And now Bakusaiga was waiting for her.

"The Bone Eater's Well of course, last I heard you released her into the well; according to InuTaisho," Tōtōsai claimed calmly. But there was a nervous tone in the old man's voice.

"Where. Is. Rin." he repeated as he stalked over to loom over the elder.

"You… you gave her up, she belongs to the fates now until she should be release at which time, I have a theory as to how she'll be found but such a connection will only be revealed when the fates return her. Until then…. Rin belongs to time," Tōtōsai said softly.

"And when is that?" Sesshomaru snarled out dangerously as he stalked towards the old smith. Tōtōsai shrunk away from him as he bared his fangs, his claws twitched slightly with his longing to destroy that which stood between him and his mate. However as he loomed over the old man he felt a set of invisible arms slip around him, which made him think of Rin as he stopped moving in shock and slight fear of losing the illusion wrapping around him. Was this a new gift of Bakusaiga or a sadistic illusion of his own creation.

"_I'm here_," her voice whispered in his ear which had him looking to the side slightly.

Nothing, which had his attention turning back to Tōtōsai who was trembling with fear. A low grow emanated from his throat as he stood over the man.

"I don't know when she'll show up! I was surprised when I met the child following you being her! InuTaisho never spoke of where she went after you surrendered her to time. I assumed she returned from when she came! Did she not return to the well!?" Tōtōsai squeaked desperately.

"No," he snarled out coldly as he slammed his fists beside Tōtōsai's head.

"Then only time will reveal when she went!" Tōtōsai squawked out as he trembled. "And in regards to the Curse of Hatred, well it's been momentarily surpressed. As long as Bakusaiga is with you, and possibly even with Rin, then the Curse of Hatred will have no power. It's only through reuniting that the curse will truly be broken and shattered to bits, but since we don't know when Rin is, then it is possible you will be stuck with a repressed curse. It is not a bad thing, unless Rin should die, then you will die; but we both know you, nor InuTaisho would ever let Rin die so it'll probably be fine."

This sounded true to him and he scented no lie from the old man as he straightened up and then he left. There was no need for him to stay around to harass the old man, especially when it was clear that the old man would not be able to answer any of his questions or demands as to when Rin was.

Strangely enough he found himself landing on the lip of the well again and staring down into the abyss of it wondering if he would even see her, or scent her, or just catch a glimpse of her. It was strange, the past eight human years were nothing more than a moment in the grand scheme of his lifetime, however those last years, and the few months and years he had had with Rin before, they made the largest lasting impression on his life. It was as if he had been alive briefly, yes, that was the best way to describe his time, he was alive, and for just a moment he felt everything. And the moment she was gone, it was all gone, all ripped away from his secure grasp before he could even stop it from going.

It was as if Rin was water or air, always there but forever elusive.

It was frustrating, and it hurt him, it hurt everything he was and believed himself to be. When he got his claws on that woman again… he was nailing her feet to the floor! She would not be running anymore, and she would not be jumping into time anytime soon when he got her back. For once she was back in his clutches, well… there'd be no escape for his little elusive walking ghost of a human, she'd forever be his and he would never let her go again.

He felt as if Bakusaiga agreed with him and as if there was a whisper of a thought in the back of his mind, he wanted to focus on that whisper of a thought but it was over shouted as a new set of thoughts shouted into his mind.

_Focus Father!_ The voice demanded sharply, he winced at the tone, it was a young child, of about nine or ten. _Mama is not dead, but if we want to be with her again then we're going to have to survive to whenever Mama show's up again._

"Bakusaiga?" Sesshomaru asked as he pulled the sword up to stare at the ivory fang.

_Of course, I'm over here by the way_, the voice informed him and Sesshomaru looked across the well to see a greenish phantom of a boy with silver hair, elfin ears, a jagged slash on each cheek like his father, Rin's eyes, though they were his color, and many features similar to his own, and a mokomoko wrapped around his shoulder, the phantomlike creature smiled at him, his hair parted to reveal the royal crest on the center of his brow. The pup was interesting to see, but even more eerie in a way. However, Sesshomaru felt a pull of instinct at the sight of the pup, it was his child in a strange way.

_If we want to see Mama then we have to work together, she taught me that when she was dragging me around to make me, to save you_, Bakusaiga informed him. Sesshomaru lifted a brow as he looked the pup over._ Oh, my yokai form, Sō'unga can manifest materially but I cannot. I cannot be hurt in this form, at least this me cannot be harmed. But if the fang is hurt, I'm hurt. Also you and Mama are the only two who can hear or see me; at least to my knowledge._

"Mama?" Sesshomaru questioned.

_Yes, Rin, your mate, she's my Mama!_ The pup said sharply.

"Hn," he shrugged; Tōtōsai had also claimed as much also so he would not dispute what was claimed. Besides, in a way Bakusaiga was his; he had summoned the fang, and it was made of him and apparently it had needed Rin's blood to become fully awake and alive in a sense. "And Rin sent you?"

_No, Fate did!_ The pup declared cheerfully.

Now he frowned.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**(= I'll Be Back Officially March 3, 2016! =)**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	223. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 3

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Loneliness:** _The Condition of Being Lonely; Solitude; Seclusion…_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Fate?" Sesshomaru questioned.

_Yes, Mama believed in Fate, and it was Fate which sent me here. That and Mama went through all of the trouble to make me for you_, Bakusaiga said calmly as his face became indifferent and he tilted his head.

"Hn," was his answer. Thinking or talking about Rin was painful to him.

_I miss Mama_, the phantom suddenly declared sadly.

Sesshomaru looked to the phantom pup and then back down the well, it appeared he was not the only one to feel this way as he thought about what had transpired this past month since Rin had leapt down the well the second time, to disappear. He had a good idea when she had gone after leaping down the well but when she was returning he didn't know. It worried and pained him, for the last time he had met her she had been a dead little child laying in her own blood after being slaughtered by wolves. That image alone had him dreading the thought of running into her again when he knew she had been gravely injured from that stab wound from Takemaru. Something which he should've known would happen and should have stopped.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken's annoying voice screeched having both him and the phantom form of Bakusaiga wincing in pain as they both looked towards where the voice was coming from.

"Jaken, be silent," Sesshomaru snapped once the imp was squealing in the clearing of the well. Jaken stopped as his large eyes noticed him and then widened.

"My lord! What…what is that…thing!?" Jaken screamed as he pointed to where Bakusaiga's phantom form was floating. Bakusaiga and he looked at one another then to Jaken.

_I thought only you and Mama would be able to see me_, Bakusaiga grumbled. Sesshomaru just shrugged, it wasn't that big of a deal if the pup was able to be seen or not, he didn't see the problem with it one way or another. It was not like he was ashamed of Bakusaiga, and it did not bother him.

"Huh? It talks!" and with that Jaken keeled over in a dead faint. Sesshomaru would've smirked at the sight but he frowned instead to be spiteful to his own amusement. There was no reason for him to enjoy his life if there was no Rin in it to enjoy. Then again, there was now Bakusaiga to consider. Quietly Sesshomaru looked to the phantom pup, the pup was smirking and he saw a glint in those phantom amber eyes of laughter which reminded him of Rin. perhaps he hadn't lost everything yet. Rin would never leave him by choice, but then again she and he were both the same wild things and leaving was something they would do though.

However, he had to believe that one day he'd reunite with Rin, he had to believe that or else he'd really have nothing. And that thought was unsettling to him.

_He's amusing! Please tell me we're keeping the imp!?_ Bakusaiga mused.

"Hn," he shrugged as he leapt off of the lip of the well then and started walking towards Edo without regard to the phantom pup, though he felt Bakusaiga's phantom form leap onto his mokomoko. Sliding a look to the phantom pup he then returned his gaze forward as he felt the pup disappear again.

_You know, I think I might like this! _Bakusaiga's young voice piped up in his head. Sesshomaru said nothing but he smirked a bit at the tone for it was so like Rin that he almost forgot she wasn't here. It appeared his fang was going to be taking after Rin a lot. The thought was pleasing to him, for he would never wish his personality on any pup, or at least, not all of it. It also relieved him that Rin was at least of some influence on his fang.

_We'll see Mama again, one day. Right, Papa?_ The voice in his head asked and he sighed then. It was the hope, but he didn't know if they would ever actually see Rin again. It had him looking down at the village he would leave her in.

However, he didn't respond, for that could feed a false hope and he wouldn't torture the fang with a false hope of the uncertainty. He may have been sadistic by nature but he was by no means that sadistic; especially in regards towards those who he kept close to him. Bakusaiga, Rin, even Inuyasha and his pack with his mother, were really the only ones he'd ever try to protect and would try not to lie to or treat with contempt anymore. Rin would not want him to treat those closest to him with contempt anymore. But still, it was tempting, it was tempting to lie to the pup within the fang and say what he was hoping.

But hope was fragile and it was easily broken which was why he refused to respond.

_Papa?_

"Hn," he grunted as his eyes narrowed on the village and then he looked to the fang. There was nothing to say, he decided as he walked towards the hut when he saw Inuyasha coming with his monk friend riding A-Un.

_Who's that!?_ The fang whispered excitedly in his head. Sesshomaru looked to the ivory fang then before flicking his eyes towards Inuyasha on A-Un again.

"That is your mother's dragon, A-Un, and Inuyasha with his monk friend," he answered patiently.

_Oh, Mama like Inuyasha's mother very much._ Bakusaiga said matter-of-factly which had his eye twitching as he ignored that fact and walked towards the dragon carrying his half-brother and monk.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said coldly.

"Sesshomaru, Miroku and I are here to help, also Miroku has a disturbing theory about the human forces and a possible weapon they're going to use. It's disturbing but it just might be worth hearing out, and if it's true, then we are going to be in big trouble," Inuyasha said as he walked up to him.

"Miroku?" Sesshomaru questioned.

"Most of the monks and miko are gathering over in the mountains, I noticed it when we were flying here, but particularly they appear to be gathering a mass of spiritual power in an area. I think they might be trying to summon gods," the monk informed him.

_What are gods?_ Bakusaiga's voice whispered as he stiffened at this announcement. The gods!?

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**That's all for now folks!**

**(= I'll Be Back Officially March 3, 2016! =)**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	224. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 4

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Loneliness:** _The Condition of Being Lonely; Solitude; Seclusion…_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"We're certain that's what the humans are trying to do, what are we going to do?" Inuyasha countered.

Sesshomaru said nothing for there was nothing for him to say as he mulled this over in his head. If the gods were to get involved then this war would be more serious than he'd like, however it could work to their advantage too. There were few on level with the power of even the lowest of gods, he knew this and it was a thought which was vexing him as he pondered it.

"My lord! My lord! Sesshomaru-sama where'd you go!?" he heard Jaken squawking and turned to where the imp would be emerging.

"Jaken," he snapped out coldly.

"My lord!" the imp screeched as he slammed onto the ground in a low bow.

"Get me InuKimi, Kaede, Sōten, Shippo, Nori, Akio, Koryū, Shiori, Koga, and Toran, bring them to Inuyasha's hut. Inuyasha, monk, come with me," he ordered as he started walking. Thinking of this situation had his mokomoko twitching slightly in his agitation as they entered Inuyasha's hut and took their claimed seats, he had plan but he also needed the Yōkai Forces to gather together to learn of their newest problem.

"Kaede," Sesshomaru's gaze flicked up upon the old miko entering the hut as she looked at him and his company.

"Sesshomaru-sama, I take it as in ye heard the news about the summonings'," the miko sighed. He said nothing but inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement. This was not something he could ignore, even if he wanted to he couldn't ignore this situation; it was becoming too dangerous and the leaders of the Yōkai Forces needed to know what they were going to be up against.

"And ye have a plan?" Kaede asked as she sat.

He said nothing as he pulled Bakusaiga up to rest against his shoulder as his brother had Tetsusaiga resting on his. There was nothing for him to say until there had been a slight history lesson for the leaders, and a chance for them to decide what was best for their Clans. There were many other yōkai clans scattered across the land but the ones he needed to worry about were coming here to fight and to follow his lead. After his skirmish with the cats he was less than thrilled to again be in a position of leading; all he craved was the actual battle. It was what he was living for at this moment, for the coming battle would be the ultimate fight; the gods would be the ultimate opponents. It was a thrilling thought which had his inner beast growling in delight and his claws itching to leap into battle.

However, he was restraining his blood thirsty and battle hungry desires because he wanted to be more than just a monster. But at the moment, with no Rin around, it was so tempting to give into his true nature and destroy everything around him with his pain.

"Jaken said you summoned us," Sōten announced as she walked into the hut then with the others following her. His eyes scanned over those who had first come to him and demanded to join his forces to fight the humans who were coming to eradicate them all, why they'd follow him he didn't know but he wasn't going to question their stupidity in their decisions. He wasn't a leader, he was a fighter, he couldn't care more or less about the politics of leading, and so he was going to prepare to fight.

There was a blinding flash of light as his mother landed in the middle of the hut.

"I heard you had need of me," InuKimi said coyly as her painted lips turned upwards a bit.

"Hn," he responded as he motioned for his mother to take a seat. She did so next to Shiori and Sōten; both young women seemed happy to see his mother there with them now.

"Now, my lord, why have you summoned us here?" the dragon, Koryū, demanded, his head resting just outside the hut as he was too large to fit his snake like body in the small hut.

"The humans intend to summon the gods to fight this war," Sesshomaru stated coldly and as indifferently as he could while his gold eyes flicked over the crowd gathered in the hut. Bakusaiga trembled against his shoulder but he grabbed it to stop it from rattling. It wouldn't do for them to be distracted by his odd pup at the moment, he needed them all to focus on what was coming.

"Are you certain of this?" his mother asked, all of her coy demeanor gone and he looked to her as he nodded. He understood her fear about this, after all, it was really all of her father's fault; his grandfather's really.

"Yes, the amount of spiritual energy they've summoned around them is too great for it to be a simple exorcism, and the ceremony I saw seemed to be that of a summoning," Miroku supplied.

"What does it matter if the humans are summoning the gods? It isn't as if the gods are going to come to their aid to kill us all, there's too many of us to begin with!" Sōten declared arrogantly. This had everyone in the hut in a ruckus as they all agreed with the arrogant little thunder yōkai, her new mate looked enamored with her and Sesshomaru felt his brow twitching at this sight. Could they not see? Could they not understand the gravity of their situation.

"That, Sōten, is where you are wrong," InuKimi supplied softly which had all of noise ceasing to his relief. However, his mother was not looking at any of them as she stared down at her clasped hands.

"Why not?" Shiori asked InuKimi.

"Because, as an entire species; we yōkai, betrayed the gods ten thousand years ago," Sesshomaru stated so coldly that everyone in the hut stiffened. "And they want us all dead."

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**That's all for now folks!**

**(= I'm Back Officially on March 3, 2016! =)**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	225. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 5

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Loneliness:** _The Condition of Being Lonely; Solitude; Seclusion…_

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**Chapter 5**

"How is that even possible? We as an entire species never get along!" Koga spat out. Sesshomaru said nothing but looked directly to his mother who was sitting very still and quivering slightly.

"First you must understand, gods sired man, they created the humans and they themselves were based off of humans for their bases. After man was sired the gods noticed all of the other creatures living around man and desired peace, however animals are wild and dangerous creatures, so the gods decided to give a select amount of animals characteristics of their precious humans.

"However the effect was not one they expected, animals live off of instincts alone, the hunt, they kill, they mate, and they live to survive; very unlike humans. Infusing cunning animals, predators mostly, with the intelligence of humans brought about a wisdom the gods did not expect and a longevity which the humans did not possess. It is why we live for centuries and thousands of years, unaged while humans cannot. It is also the reason for many daiyōkai's double forms, our true form and our humanoid deception. Many of our hanyō descendants will display a mixture of our human and beast qualities, like Inuyasha or Shiori or Jinenji. It's a diayokai or yōkai's controlled doubled natures which make us so lethal, it's the fact hanyōs are at war with their double nature which makes them just dangerous and abominations in the eyes of the gods. So they banded us from siring hanyōs in the beginning, believing out offspring to be abominations.

"But this did not stop the gods from desiring us, for they only had one true form, and they did not have the liberties us yōkai had. They were so enamored with us, the gods were, that they made us their divine beings. With our instinctive loyalties, instinctive ferocity, instinctive love and fighting spirits we were perfect guards of the gods and humans. It was perfect in their eyes until they found out about the true depths of a yōkai's loyalty.

"We were created as a mixture of humans, animals, and divine power, we've always been drawn to humans whether through morbid curiosity or instinctive hatred we will always be drawn to humans. Right Koga? I've heard a tale in which, you were so enamored by a certain human miko, you tried to steal her from Inuyasha." InuKimi mused darkly.

Everyone watched as Koga shifted uncomfortably then and his mother smiled slightly.

"No matter, it is our instincts to be drawn to certain humans, humans who possess characteristics similar to yōkai, rather like Sesshomaru being drawn to Rin. But the gods could never understand our attraction to the humans, our attraction to certain ones and our disgust towards others. It is purely instinctive, our animal nature telling us who is trustworthy and who is not. But as I said, gods do not understand the yōkai instinctive nature so it disgusted them.

"Our betrayal began ten thousand years ago because a god possessed a human to kill my father's hanyō brother. And the human to kille my uncle was his own human father. Enraged to witness the death of his younger brother at his brother's father's human hand, my father killed the human for his atrocity. For as we all know there is no greater crime in the yōkai mind than killing a bonded mate or a pup, instinct will demand we seek our vengeance until those who harmed our pack is obliterated.

"The gods did not know or expect this of our animal nature, and they were enraged that my father killed this human without remorse. However, the yōkai community; all of our races and species rallied together in their rage against the gods for daring to harm our young, for daring to possess our mates, for daring to harm us. When the time came for divine retribution we fought a war.

"Many details of this war are lost to time, however my father taught me this: we yōkai turned to the darker sides of our natures to seal the gods away and we sealed them in the depths of their own spirit world realm with no mercy. The sealing was casted by the heads of the great Daiyōkai Clans then and could only be removed with enough positive spiritual energy. Thus begins the conflict with humans and yōkai.

"Humans possessing spiritual energy have a positive, pure energy bestowed upon them by the gods to fight for the light and good in this world. Yōkai possess a darker energy, it is why gods called us demons, for we will give into the dark side of our nature at will. It is why there are a few of here who cannot be affected by spiritual energy too, for a few of us are a perfect balance of our instinctive and reason natures, it is why a few years ago Sesshomaru was not affected by the barrier around Mount Hakurei, and why the monk Ungai could merely bind in in place. The 'evil' within Sesshomaru is a greater power than any of the 'good' within most of the priests, priestess, and monks of this world. However in the face of gods, Sesshomaru, your power will be equal to theirs', if not inferior.

"If the humans intend to release the gods then you should all know this: The power of a god is intoxicating and will enhance your natures, your powers, and every natural ability you possess in good and bad ways. It will be as if we all are possessed by the Shikon no Tama. And the gods, they will use our instinctive natures against us, they will aim to kill us all and eradicate our presence from the world. Make no mistake about this, this war will be unlike and skirmish you have had in the past, for this will truly be a battle to test your true powers, and your true nature. And the price of failure, it will be your death, without hesitation." InuKimi stated this coldly and he was pleased to know.

"Is anyone here of power to take on a god?" Shippo asked.

"Yes, normal yōkai and hanyōs of particularly strong bloodlines are on par with the lower level of gods, however there are few true daiyōkai who will be able to challenge the powerful, ancient gods. Sesshomaru, is one, myself, is another, Nori, and his daughter Michiko, and several of our cousins in the West would be on the level of power of the powerful gods," InuKimi said softly.

"So what are we going to do?" Inuyasha barked sharply.

"So we either fight or die, either way?" Sōten asked.

"Yes," InuKimi replied.

"Then I say we fight, we've got just as much right to be here as the humans or gods, after all the gods created us from animals and instincts, so lets show them we aren't just going to roll over and die like they want." Shiori snapped.

"Sadly I agree with the girl," Koga grumbled.

"Me too," Toran said. "I've lived seven hundred years and I have no intentions of dying yet.

"We agree with Shiori as well," Shippo stated for himself and Sōten.

"I follow Sōten," Koryū stated indifferently.

"I think this holy war is wrong so I will follow you as well," Kaede grumbled.

"We're in, we're always up for a good fight, right Miroku?" Inuyasha grinned dubiously then.

"It will be a dangerous challenge," Miroku agreed.

"I have no problem with killing a few gods," the Tora Daiyōkai, Nori, grumbled.

"And I fight with you as well," InuKimi whispered softly. Well, now they were really going to have a fight.

"Jaken, contact Xui, and Zhi in the West," Sesshomaru ordered as he stood then. "Tomorrow we ready for battle. Myoga, infiltrate the humans tonight," Sesshomaru ordered as he walked out of the hut to the flea who appeared as well during the meeting.

"Yes, my lord," the flea grumbled as he left. Sesshomaru said nothing as he went to the well. If it was war they wanted then it was war they'd have, he didn't mind the fights after all.

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**This is the Last Update Until March 3, 20161 =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	226. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 6

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indestructible:**_Incapable of Being Destroyed, Ruined or Rendered Ineffective…_

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**Chapter 6**

Sesshomaru stood up from the hut, his hands concealed within his robes as he walked out and left the council of yōkai figuring out their next move. However, Sesshomaru had a sneaking suspicion about it the gods became involved in this battle what their next move was going to be. Well, it would be his next move at least, if he was to enter a full scale war it was the only logical move in his mind.

"InuKimi, station guards at the shiro in the clouds, tell all the clans to keep guards at their shiro; take the clans and house them in one location. Sōten," Sesshomaru turned to the young thunder yōkai who was currently glaring at her kitsune mate.

"Yes my lord?" Sōten asked immediately as her ruby eyes flickered with a slight fear. It was instinctive for everyone of lesser power to fear him. Instincts were the base of yōkai, and daiyōkai, it was what kept them alive and fighting for their lives. There was much for the gods to fear from them with their lethal abilities and instinctive reactions.

"the hanyō refuges which will come will need refuge. Other clan homes will be full, they will go to your shiro," he stated and her eyes widened dumbfoundedly.

"But my lord! My shiro, it's in shambles, it's not suitable for other's to live in."

He lifted a brow then.

"Alright, I'll tell Koryū that we are to expect guests." Sōten looked disgruntled then.

"It's for the greater good Sōten," Shippo chimed in.

"Yeah, but Hiten and Monten destroyed it and I've been trying to fix it; it's embarrassing for people to see the shambles of the last thunder yōkai clan." The girl argued.

Sesshomaru said nothing as he turned on his heels then to resume his walk. A good part of the reason he traveled so much was because moving helped his thought process, helped him concentrate, helped him run from his past and to run right into fights with powerful yōkai opponents. He had never been good at staying in one place, never been good at waiting, or just holding still in general. It had always driven his mother and father insane when he had been a pup.

Holding still just was not something he did, and it annoyed the hell out of every everyone who knew him.

"And where are you going?" he heard Inuyasha's voice demand in a harsh tone which had him looking over his shoulder.

"Walking," he replied indifferently as he continued walking forward.

"Uh-huh and what about the planning for the war?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Best thinking is done moving," he retorted. It wasn't that he wanted to speak to Inuyasha, for he wasn't one who liked talking to anyone, however he knew thee'd be no avoiding Inuyasha. At least not when Inuyasha was like this; the idiotic blood of InuTaisho was rearing it's stubborn head when Inuyasha was like this. Sesshomaru had learned this over the last two hundred years about the idiot hanyō brother he happened to have. Honestly! InuTaisho couldn't have had a semi-intelligent hanyō brat!?

"Oh, wait up!" Inuyasha shouted.

Now he felt like palming his face in irritation as he walked away. But he refrained because he'd swear to hearing Rin's voice scolding him mercilessly about his ignoring of Inuyasha when they were finally starting to have an amical relationship. This did not mean there weren't times he wanted to disembowel the hanyō, spread his entrails all over the country and light him aflame after poisoning the hanyō into green good; like he had tried to once do with the annoying miko.

Annoying! Was all he thought when Inuyasha managed to catch up to him.

"So do you have a plan of attack?" Inuyasha persisted.

"Hn," he replied because if he didn't give some acknowledgement the hanyō might think he didn't take this coming war seriously. In truth, he didn't. However, he was most eager to battle the gods as his grandfather; Daiki, had. Defeating a god… well that was something Sesshomaru had dreamt of doing his entire life since hearing about his grandfather's many great achievements in his life span before passing just before his birth. Well, his grandfather died five hundred years before his birth but in the life of a daiyōkai that was merely a blink of an eye.

"Where do you think our defenses should go?" Inuyasha demanded.

Sesshomaru said nothing now.

"What about fighting the human ranks, how are we going to do that and implement the plan from Mikadzuki-sama, which that kitsune says is of the utmost importance?" Inuyasha asked.

Sesshomaru shrugged.

"Are you even listening to me?" Inuyasha asked flatly with his ears flat on his head. Sesshomaru looked over to his brother with a bored expression as he lifted his brows.

"No," he stated indifferently and continued walking as he left a balking Inuyasha behind him. Did he care about the yōkai as a race or this war? If he were honest with himself; as he made it a habit to be; the answer was no. But there was simply no way for him to turn up the opportunity to fight the gods.

_You know, it's not polite to ignore pack mates_, a voice chirped from below. His gold eyes flicked down to be greeted by a set of ghostly gold eyes like his own but shaped like Rin's.

"Hn," was his reply to the little odd pup.

_Papa, I'm scared to fight the gods. Aren't you scared?_ Bakusaiga demanded as he walked beside him. Sesshomaru slowed his gate slightly for the phantom pup, for it was like when Rin had been a pup and he slowed for her to keep up.

"No," he replied honestly. He was exhilarated at the thought of his first truly challenging opponents to come. Inuyasha did not count for the simple reason of he was pack, since the time he was born he had been a part of Sesshomaru's small pack; even if he had been unwanted. And it was because Inuyasha had been a part of his pack, since his birth, that Sesshomaru could not kill the annoying hanyō and merely reprimand him; though a part of him had wanted nothing more than to kill the hanyō.

_Would Mama be scared of this fight?_ Bakusaiga asked which had him faltering in his walking as he stared down at the pup. Would Rin be afraid of fighting a god? Yes, he knew fights terrified her, he had always scented her fear. But what made Rin a courageous human was something which defied human nature, she ignored her fear and continued forward to fight for what was right.

"Yes, she would be terrified of this fight."

_Then how would she handle this fight?_

"Rin ignores the base of human fear and fights on, it is what makes her brave," Sesshomaru explained coldly.

_Then I'm going to be like Mama._

"Hn," was his reply.

* * *

**March 3, 2016 folks! And after a very shitty day I'm pleased to at least post something which isn't complete garbage.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	227. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 7

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indestructible:** _Incapable of Being Destroyed, Ruined or Rendered Ineffective…_

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**Chapter 7**

"Master Ungai! Are you certain that we should do this?" the young priestess asked as she hurried after him with her companion.

"Yes, this yōkai scourge needs to be purified. They should no longer be free to prey on the young women of our society, or your world when we can save them," he stated. The face of a child he could not save flashed in his mind. Rin, that was what the vile daiyōkai had called her, and she had called the silver daiyōkai Sesshomaru-sama; as if he had earned that title of power. Ever since then, and the run in with a particularly odd group of yōkai slayers, who had a taijiya, a monk, a priestess, a kitsune, a yōkai, and a hanyō in their ranks had then alerted him to the dangers and the problems of yōkai and humans coming together.

However, whenever he thought of those scourge creatures claiming innocent humans he could only imagine the child; Rin as she stood before a vile, hateful creature without fear and that disgusting look of complete and utter devotion. She hadn't faltered in her pursuit of the daiyōkai, the beast which had just knocked all of them down with a mere releasing of a fraction of that power he hid within him; all that hatred hitting them had truly terrified him; however that girl… She hadn't even stopped to think about what she was doing!

The girl had turned, smiled at him as she waved then raced after the silver daiyōkai. There'd be no stopping her from following that daiyōkai, he had seen it with how that daiyokai had looked at the girl when he had been walking towards them. The girl belonged to that daiyōkai, and worse was the way that daiyōkai had looked at him and his acolytes as if they were nothing more than a nuisance and then at him as if he were prey or a threat to the girl.

But in truth, Ungai had wanted nothing more than to save the child. Then the child had refused to be saved, even rebuffed him over the years when she and he would cross paths; she had even once insulted him before walking away alone into the woods. That had been the last time he had seen her, and now according to the rumors the girl of the daiyōkai, Sesshomaru-sama, was missing. It was his final breaking point, the girl who had blindly loved and trusted the dayokai was dead and he would eradicate the scourge of this world which had betrayed the girl. For no girl should die at the hands of someone she knew and loved.

No human would ever do that to an innocent girl, but that daiyōkai had!

It was time for this scourge to be eradicated if they could kill those who loved and followed them then there was no telling what the fate of all the rest of them was to be.

"We understand, master, but are you certain about summoning the gods to be involved in this fight?" Momoji persisted.

"Yes, there is a power which we can't defeat on our own." Sesshomaru-sama, that was a power even he knew was only fractionally released; and that minute fraction had been enough to break their purification spells, their ranks, and disperse their own spiritual power.

"But master, summoning the gods… even our first master said to never do that," Botan stated in her desperate tone. Ungai looked at both the priestesses and then he looked at the temple they were walking into.

"I've lost good friends to this scourge, I've witnessed the betrayal yōkai inflict upon those who trust them, and I've seen the love of a human for a daiyōkai destroyed at his claws. I will not permit this scourge to continue walking across the surface of our lands with this final betrayal. The gods, level the battle field for us," Ungai stated. Rin's young face flashed in his mind, that unending love for that silver daiyōkai and now the child was dead; because he had not acted and severed that bond between Rin and Sesshomaru. Well, no more, he would not permit yōkai and humans to bond anymore, for he would never again let a beautiful, young, innocent woman fall prey to the daiyōkai or yōkai creatures.

"We understand master," both the girls said with bowed heads and he looked over at both of them.

"I would hope you would, but understand this, yōkai are very vile, despicable creatures which bewitch their prey with their beauty. However, past their ethereal beauty lay lethal abilities and should they unleash their full power, no human will withstand their aura. Do not be fooled by the human appearance, they a about as human as the gods but with no mercy. They will not hesitate to kill us all for merely looking upon them, be very afraid of the yōkai," Ungai said as they proceeded to set up the ceremony to summon the gods they'd need to aid them in this battle.

* * *

Deep beneath the world of the living her lips curled into a malicious smile as she stood with the fang of her own creation in her hands.

"So, the humans have decided to retaliate," his deep, malicious voice purred as his menacing aura wrapped around her.

"So it would seem," she mused darkly.

"Let me strike them down, destroy the yōkai who roam this earth, let me kill the one who banished me to the depths of the netherworld, the one who stole your companion's soul, the one who purified your realm," he whispered in her ear.

"All in good time, all in good time, my pet," she purred. "First, we must give you to Hachiman, and you must release me from this hell."

"Oh, what do you intend to do, my lady?" his voice purred as the blade vibrated with his excitement.

"Do you not know, Sō'unga? I intend to kill the daiyōkai who banished me to the depths of my own hell, I'm going to destroy InuKimi. After she watches her soul defiling, thief of a son, Sesshomaru-sama, is killed by you. I will walk across his cold, dead corpse as she weeps and kill her. They will know my wrath for stealing Rin's soul and life to defile my human creation," she mused darkly. The fang chuckled in her fingers.

"I will kill them all for you, my lady, just let me be the one to kill Sesshomaru-sama for sending me here," he snarled out.

"Of course, and Hachiman will wield you so you can kill the fool daiyōkai. Come, there's much to be done as the humans prepare for the summoning," she said as she turned on her heels in a flurry of tattered silks and heavy black hair which hid her true form from the eyes of mortals; the yōkai, however would see her true form. And they'd fear her, she thought with a malicious smile on her lips.

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**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	228. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 8

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indestructible:** _Incapable of Being Destroyed, Ruined or Rendered Ineffective…_

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**Chapter 8**

His lips curled at the mere thought of the heat of battle and now finally, he'd be released in the world of the living. Oh, how he ached for the coming battles, particularly against a daiyōkai who had captured his attention about three centuries back. Yes, he had finally found an opponent worth his attention.

And this daiyōkai had all of his attention.

Sesshomaru-sama.

The name of a most worthy opponent, a most worthy adversary, a creature who would provide him with his first challenge since his companion Daiki; the First Inu no Taisho of the Inuyōkai Clans. The Great Daiki's grandson as his opponent, it had his blood pumping with the excitement of a long awaited challenge. Yes, Sesshomaru-sama would be the most worthy adversary he could ever and would ever find. The daiyōkai who had trained the walking ghost human to be a lethal weapon, the daiyōkai to kill Naraku with his fang, to banish the daiyōkai Shishinki to the netherworld with his own Meido Zangetsuha, the only other daiyōkai to kill a god; a minor war god who was more daiyōkai than god, but he was the only other one to do it aside from Daiki, Ryūkotsusei with a mere drop of his poison (though InuTaisho had sealed the daiyōkai dragon away, and Inuyasha had killed him in the end, it was the effects of this Sesshomaru-sama's poison which had led to the dragon's downfall; and all of that had been for the walking ghost mortal girl!).

Yes, yes, Daiki's grandson, Sesshomaru-sama was a most worth adversary for him. A most worthy opponent. And he could not wait to kill the daiyōkai, their battle would be epic, it would be legendary, it would be something which shaped the course of thsir worlds and shape the fates of their species. Oh yes, he was most eager for a battle with this new, young, Inu no Taisho. Any decendant of Daiki's would be a worthy battle for him.

"Hachiman," a voice called him. He turned to the forever impertinate pair of oni gods; the only yōkai ever turned into gods to his knowledge; Fujin and Raijin.

"What?" he demanded as he cleaned his bloodied sword before sheathing it to look over the field of the dead he had just killed. It had been a pathetic battle, one not even worthy of his attention.

"Lady Izanimi wishes to speak to you, after her husband of course," one of the oni informed him.

"About does she wish to speak to me about?" he asked warily, he was always cautious about visiting Lady Izanami in the Netherworld, it was often times a trap for all gods, yōkai, humans and hanyō alike. However, Lady Izanami did not summon him often so he was curious about what this could be about.

"She did not say. Isanagi-sama wishes to discuss the coming summoning though," the other oni informed him.

"Of course he does," Hachiman grumbled as he turned to walk off.

A summoning was the only way for a god to be brought to the world of the living, for the yōkai had sealed them away in the heavenly realm long ago. However, the summonings were painful, dangerous, and often times lethal for both god and human; but unlike the mortals below them gods were reincarnated; after all humans prayed to them and if the god died how were they supposed to receive the prayers? Gods were not reincarnated often; mostly because to kill them it took work but summonings was a known way for them to be killed.

However, ten thousand years ago Daiki had killed him just before sealing him away in the world of the heavens; Hachiman would never forgive Daiki for that death. But it had been a noble and honorable death when Daiki had severed his head from his shoulders with that light whip of his. And then he had been born again, in the heavens that time.

That was the difference between daiyōkai and gods. Gods were immortal, reborn over and over, for as long as humans prayed to them they would be born again. However yōkai and daiyōkai alike only lived thousands of years, however like some of their mortal ancestors they were sired, born, raised, lived, and then died. And when they were reborn again they had no recollection of their past life, no knowledge of all they had done, and sometimes they were reborn as something other than a yōkai or daiyōkai. Not like gods, they were a step below the gods but a step above the humans. Such oddities in nature, Hachiman couldn't understand why they had even been created in the first place…

Oh well, it was not his worry as he walked up the steps of Izanagi's palace.

"Hachiman," he was greeted.

"Izanagi," he bowed slightly. "And what do you want?"

"The humans will be performing a summoning, you are the first god they will summon. I summoned you here to warn you, no harm is to be inflicted upon the humans by your blade, or you will be banished to the netherworld. We are gods, not the monsters of yōkai or daiyōkai, we will not betray the humans as they would. Is that understood?" the imposing force of Izanagi loomed over him then and had him flinching slightly. It was no where near as brilliant of an aura or presences as some of the other gods but Izanagi was a force to be reckoned with in his own way. Despite his elderly appearance.

"Yes, I will harm no human in this battle. However, I will anhilate the traitorous yōkai and daiyōkai alike," he informed the elder.

"Do not, only battle the most powerful of their races. Leave the actual battling to the humans, it is a war for the world of the living; it is not our affair. Your purpose in this war is to make certain the humans are not eradicated," Izanagi informed him.

"Yes, my lord, and who should I fight?" Hachiman asked.

"I think your old friend's reincarnation will present your largest challenge in this war."

"Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Yes, Daiki was always destined to remain powerful, I did not expect his reincarnation to be his own grandson though, a very interesting twist in the fates' plans; do you not think so? He always had a hatred for mortal women too, a most humorous twist in the fates." Izanagi mused darkly.

Hachiman just smiled maliciously then.

"About time for the rematch then…" he mused darkly as he was dismissed and started walking towards the entrance of the netherworld.

"Send my love to Izanami," he heard Izanagi call out. But when he turned the old god had disappeared and Hachiman took a steadying breath before he turned to enter the black of the netherworld. It felt like he was falling inside the black as he tried not to scream in terror at having set foot within the netherworld at will.

But he would never ignore the summons of Izanami, no god ever would.

However, this did not alleviate his own terror as it felt like his body was falling into the black, the nothingness, and the void below him.

* * *

**You ever have those times in life where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong and it feels like it can't possibly get worse than it already is, and then it just does? Yeah, that's my life at the moment. It Sucks! As if my life wasn't bad enough already I got some more bad news...**

***sigh***

**There's a God out there, somewhere, and He clearly hates my guts at the moment. Oh well, just gotta keep going, keep moving forward, right? Anyways, it was this bad news which ruined my writing yesterday, sorry about that.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same.**


	229. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 9

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indestructible:** _Incapable of Being Destroyed, Ruined or Rendered Ineffective…_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"Ow," he groaned when he smashed into the floor he had known was coming for him. Hesitantly the god got to his unsteady feet as he rubbed his face and looked around the darkness for a hint of what was going on here. He just hurt as he stood; and despite belief, divine beings felt and endured pain like any other living thing.

"You came," a feminine voice, warm and inviting; so motherly too, called out from the darkness. Hachiman turned as he examined the darkness surrounding him. Izanami would never reveal her true form to anyone but Izanagi and as disconcerting as that was he knew there was a reason no living thing laid eyes on her.

"Of course, you summoned me, my lady," he replied as he straightened up and stood up tall and proud, for this was an honor to be here and not be trapped in this eternal darkness with her. At least, he was hoping it not to be a trap. One never could tell where Izanami was concerned. "Now, how may I be of service to you, my lady?"

"Ah, Hachiman, so eager to serve, so eager to fight, so eager to please," her voice whispered in his ear as hands rested lightly on his shoulders. He tensed as he tried to peek at her, partially from curiosity, partially from fear.

"Do not look at me!" she snapped and he found himself stumbling forward a few steps.

"Sorry, milady, I did not mean to offend you," he said as he offered the darkness a formal bow.

"No, it is only natural for you to be curious, all are. You are no exception," her voice murmured sadly. He said nothing as he kept himself in a low bow; for he did not wish to offend the lady in question again. Izanami was a goddess who terrified him, not many gods or goddess scared him but even he had to admit to having a healthy dose of respect and fear of Izanami.

"I am sorry, my lady. For what did you summon me for?" Hachiman asked.

"Rise, I have summoned you to present you with a gift." Her voice was distinct and clipped as he rose up to continue staring into the shadows.

"Thank you my lady, but a gift is not necessary," Hachiman said carefully for he didn't want to offend her again.

"Oh, but I think even you will desire to have this gift, it will give you an advantage over your opponent, for it has seen into the mind of your opponent and knows all of which Sesshomaru-sama holds dear," her voice purred in his other ear. He did not dare to turn to the enticing voice again.

"Oh? And you do not believe I can defeat a mere daiyōkai on my own?" he asked coldly.

"No, nothing of the sort, I just feel that it is important for this daiyōkai to die, he has stolen and purified that which was not his to care for. And his mother is the one who sealed me here in the depths of this hell before I could escape and stir up the rebellion again." Her voice was harsh now and it had him frowning slightly.

"Well, I have a grievance from his past life to settle and will require no assistance in destroying this particular daiyōkai," he stated honestly. Just because he had been reborn in a new life in the world of the divine did not mean that he had forgiven Daiki for his betrayal. In fact; it was quite the opposite really, he wanted nothing more than to stake Sesshomaru's head on a pike for all to see. He would be killing Sesshomaru for that past grievance of killing him.

"I have faith in you, Hachiman, I do, however I want assurences, and not just faith. So may I bestow the gift upon you or not?" she asked sweetly.

"And what does ,my lady, intend to give this god of war?" he asked coldly.

"Nothing much, but a daiyōkai fang, forged from the dragon god, Ōwatatsumi, Sō'unga. The fang which killed the InuTaisho, the fang which Sesshomaru-sama and Inuyasha banished into my realm to die for simply doing as it was created to do and destroying the daiyōkai, yōkai and hanyō of the world of the living. The only creature, neither living or dead, which has seen into the mind of your enemy and knows all of the secrets within the daiyōkai, Sesshomaru-sama." She purred in his other ear as the darkness brought forth the most ferocious weapon he had ever seen in all his lives. The aura of death encasing it, the pulsing power, all of it had his eyes widening with want as the salivia in his mouth dried and his heart slammed in his ribs as desire pulsed through him.

Everyone who was god or yōkai knew of the power of Sō'unga, and it was a power all craved. Even he, the great War God Hachiman, craved the ultimate power of Sō'unga. And how could he not? Sō'unga was a sword which was intimidating just to gaze upon, to stand in it's aura of death and suffering, the bloodlust and thrill of battle; it was all Hachiman had ever wanted in a sword but had never had. And now it was being presented before him as a gift.

An irresistible gift.

"And in exchange for taking Sō'unga, what do you expect of me?" he asked as he stared intently at the fang, he ignored her laughter over the matter.

"Expect, I expect nothing in return Hachiman, I demand to be released from my hell to kill the one who sits guards over my gates, the one who sealed me here after my fist escape, I demand to get justice for what InuKimi did to me. Of course, this is after you send her thief of a son to me," Izanami mused.

"Sesshomaru-sama? A thief?" he questioned as his fingers hovered over the fang.

"Yes, he stole the soul of a young human who I had plans for, he severed her ties to the mortal realm and stole her twice, I want revenge for my severed connection to the fates of a girl who could've killed Sesshomaru and his mother when the time came for me to possess her. Daiyōkai are not gods and do not have the right to reverse and sever the natural cycle of nature with my humans when they destroy all they touch. All I demand for giving you Sō'unga is that you release me so I can kill them."

"Alright, my lady, thank you," he said as he grabbed Sō'unga and felt that surge of intoxicating power and bloodlust. This was going to be fun, he thought maliciously as he left the netherworld then.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	230. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 10

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indestructible:**_Incapable of Being Destroyed, Ruined or Rendered Ineffective…_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Ah, Sesshomaru-sama," a voice chimed when he arrived at the Bone Eater's Well. Gold eyes flicked to the silver kitsune standing before him with his tails swishing about him as he kept his hands concealed in his sleeves.

"Masaru," Sesshomaru stated the name indifferently though there was a part of him which desperately wanted to strangle the kitsune before him. It always felt as if that damn kitsune only showed up when it was convient to do so and after all the trouble had blown over. Damn fox.

"And what can I tell you today?" he asked calmly.

"Rin," he answered.

"Ah, well, that is actually something I cannot help you with because I truly have no idea when the mortal will reappear or when you shall reunite, Mikadzuki neglected to give me that information before sending me off on my way." The sly gleam in the kitsune's eyes had Sesshomaru's claws just itching to rip him apart.

"And when do we get to meet your mistress, Mikadzuki?" Sesshomaru asked in a low threatening tone. The kitsune merely chuckled.

"All in due time, a woman who holds no mysteries in her life is not a woman worth pursuing and Mikadzuki would like nothing more than for you to fulfill your destiny and return to your hunt. She finds it most amusing, the way you hunt," Masaru said this all with an underlying tone of mischief and knowledge which had Sesshoamaru's brow twitching in his irritation.

"Is there anything else I should be aware of in concern of this Mikadzuki?" Sesshomaru snarled.

"Yes, she does not take kindly to doubting Inu Daiyōkai lords, such as yourself, doubting her plans. Her plans come from her lord, and her lord is never wrong; and as infuriating as it seems and after having met her lord I conquer with that statement. Mikadzuki's lord is never wrong so do not think for a moment that this plan for this war will not have the outcome you are expecting Sesshomaru-sama. Just trust in me to carry out the plan with you as a cover," Masaru stated coldly.

Sesshomaru said nothing though he was very tempted to snarl, gnash his fangs and rip Masaru's throat out for merely speaking he did not. He hated this plan, it felt wrong, but at the same time it was inevitable, he guessed.

See, yōkai were very different from humans and gods alike in their wants and desires.

Being creatures created from animals it was lost on them all the finer points of what a war was about. In the minds of even the strongest Inu Daiyōkai, life revolved around the following:

-Territory.

-Food and water.

-Mates.

-Pack.

That was all the world revolved around for most daiyōkai. They may have acted hateful, spiteful, they may have acted more evolved than humans, and superior in every way; and in many ways they were. However there was one truth that made them inferior to humans. Their lives revolved around instincts, the animal instincts of their ancestors, it was why they were so lethal. Where as a human could think and have remorse for their actions yōkai could not.

Predators could not feel remorse for their savagery, only curb it. And most yōkai were predators, cunning, swift, merciless, and fearless. It was also why he did not understand the human's desire to eradicate them, same with most of the other yōkai who had flocked to Edo for the coming war. They did not hate the humans, true they did not fully trust the humans; for what predator ever fully trusted those who were a threat to their existence; but they did not hate the humans. He did, only for what had been taken from him, otherwise he did not care one way or another about humans.

But this was not true for all the other yōkai who were rallying behind him.

Many were beginning to flock to the humans for mates, mostly because for some of the yōkai un was in their nature to seek the humans out, and for some it was a spiteful revenge tactic. But for the most part, stories like Inutaisho and Izayoi, him and Rin, they were becoming more and more common despite the public belief in the yōkai societies. Also, some humans welcomed them; though he had yet to meet one who was as fearless as Rin.

"They will be here for a true battle within the moon, will you be ready then?" Sesshomaru asked as he looked the silver kitsune over thoughtfully. If this worked then he'd have a new found respect for the kitsune race, if this didn't work…

Well, it wasn't as if any human could kill him.

"Yes, my pupils; like young Shippo, are very talented and my own magic has strengthened a great deal in the past five hundred years. All we must do, is trust in my lady, she would never fail us. Least of all you," Masaru said with a mischeivious smirk. Sesshomaru frowned.

"Do not fail kitsune," was all he said as he walked out of the little area housing the Bone Eater's Well. There was something strange about how familiarly Masaru talked about his lady, Mikadzuki. It was as if Sesshomaru had met this Mikadzuki before, however Sesshomaru had never even heard of Mikadzuki before or after that kitsune appeared in his life five hundred years ago; after Rin had appeared the first time.

* * *

"Everything goes as we have planned." He whispered in the darkness.

It wasn't as if he was expecting a response though.

"Soon everything will continue with time, and I will wait again for your instructions, my lady," he whispered into the blackness and nothingness of this shed. It was strange how much his lady meant to him; especially since he had only ever met up with her briefly in his life. However, some of the briefest moments in his life were the sweetest though and it continuously amazed him. And he was to live a very long life according to Mikadzuki.

Well, he mused, here's hoping that it stayed interesting!

Life under Mikadzuki's directives had left him with a lot of interesting stories to tell, and life for him was truly one big old grand adventure. He was going to enjoy this war.

Especially if Mikadzuki was right about the outcome!

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	231. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 11

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Strategy:** _The Science of Military Command, or the Science of Projecting Campaigns and Directing Great Military Movements; Generalship…_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

A week slipped by as the Yōkai Forces came, most were informed of the plan, some were tested for their trust but overall many were all for what they were planning. And during this week many of his amassing forces; since everyone had rallied behind him before he could point out a more suitable leader; were constantly training.

And when no one was around him Bakusaiga usually formed because he was bored, the pup couldn't touch living animals, yōkai or humans but the pup appeared to be as odd as the human he claimed to be his mother and found great joy in chasing all things which caught his attention down. It must be Rin's influence or something for he knew it was not in him. If Sesshomaru had had it his way he'd have just taken his new fang, walked head on into the human forces and obliterated all of them where they stood. But no, there was a directive and plan from Masaru's lady and mistress, Mikadzuki; and since Mikadzui had yet to misdirect or lead him on he'd trust this plan of hers'. Reluctantly though as the time was drawing near for the coming war according to Mikadzuki's Masaru.

The night of the stormy full moon in the new autumn.

Yes, it was coming soon, Sesshomaru could taste the cooling autumn in the air now. Also, if Myoga's information was right, the humans were almost able to summon the gods with the amount of spiritual power they were gathering in one spot with all their priests, monks, priestess, and miko gathering.

"My lord!" a voice shouted behind him and he turned to look at the coming yōkai. It was Sōten with her new mate Shippo chasing her. The two were inseperable even when they were trying to kill one another, but that was mates he supposed.

"Sōten," he said simply as he waited for them to get closer to him.

"The humans are summoning the first god!" Shippo informed him promptly.

"Hn?" he lifted a brow just as there was a blast of blinding light beamed up and through the clear autumn sky. The three of them stood there watching the beam for a moment.

"Which god?" he finally asked as the wind of the energy hit him then. It smelled of the ocean, of life, and of old memories for him as a girl with dark, sultry eyes, tangled black hair and a mischievous smile flitted through his mind.

A thunderous roar shook the air and Sesshomaru felt a slight smile grace his lips as the excitement of battling such a foe pulsed through his body.

"Ryūjin," Sōten gasped. They all saw as a large serpant like dragon emerged from the beam of light and Sesshomaru felt his claws twich slightly, this dragon was far larger than Ryūkotsusei ever had been, and it was all the more exciting to him. To battle a foe of that power, of that presence, of this magnitude, it was truly an exciting thought; especially since he didn't have a mate here to defend.

"You know him!?" Shippo gasped.

"Yes, he's one of Koryū's ancestors, thousands and thousands of years ago before dragons were common yōkai!" Sōten explained as the light died. There were distant screams, a furious roar before a dragon flew over their heads, low to the ground and whipping up, dust, dying leaves, and forest shrubbery. Sesshomaru watched as the massive beast flew off towards the oceans, his home domain.

"We are in so much trouble it's not even funny," Shippo huffed out.

"Sōten, take Koryū and find out where Ryūjin goes, find out what side of this war he's supporting," Sesshomaru ordered.

"Yes my lord!" she bowed before she ran off for her dragon friend.

"What side he's on?" Shippo asked.

"Yes," was all he said as he turned back to walk towards the training grounds. Masaru and the other kitsune were practicing their magic; which was going to be needed, while other yōkai were practicing their unique skills, and those without skills were practicing their combat. Sesshomaru's eyes scanned over the field before he spotted who he needed to spot, motioning for the monk to follow him Sesshomaru walked back towards the well.

_Papa, what are you planning?_ The little phantom pup materialized then.

"Just listen," Sesshomaru ordered as he turned when the monk finally was there.

"What is it my lord?" Miroku asked then.

"Go to the human camps, find out the ritual they are using and report back," Sesshomaru ordered.

"Why me?" Miroku asked.

"Myoga cannot go into the barrier they have thrown up without being purified," Sesshomaru stated.

"Ah, well, I'll be off then," Miroku sighed.

"Hn," was Sesshomaru's response. All he needed to know was what exactly the humans were planning and which gods they intended to bring back to the realm of the living. Depending on which ritual and which gods they were bringing back they could or could not, be in grave trouble.

_Is this a bad situation, father?_ Bakusiaga asked him softly.

"Depends," he admitted and then he looked to the little phantom pup. He looked an awful lot like Rin and it was something he found to be interesting. Perhaps the pup had not lied and in a way Rin was his mother, just as the pup claimed him to be his father. Then again, there were a lot more mysterious things in this world than just Rin and Bakusaiga.

_Should we be scared?_ The pup asked.

"No," was all he said. For no matter what nothing was going to happen to Bakusaiga and they were going to get back to Rin, when ever she was in the flow of time, and they'd be together. However, before that could happen there was this war to fight, the plan to implement, and time to get through. But in the end, he was certain that he would be with Rin again.

At least that was the hope.

_Mama would be scared though_. Bakusaiga whispered.

"Rin is human," Sesshomaru shrugged. The pup smiled slightly at that then, there was no disgust in his tone as he had stated that simple fact. The woman was human, so there was no reason for her to be ashamed of her fears.

_Let's go train, Papa! Inuyasha has a new move we should beat!_ Bakusaiga declared eagerly.

"Hn," he smirked. The pup definitely had his competitiveness in fighting. Always wanted to be the best, though he was nothing more than a fang to be used as a weapon. Still, Sesshomaru felt a surge of affection for the pup just then.

* * *

**Still waiting on that charger, as stated in the previous section. Also... FINALLY! Chapter 9; of the story in the previous chapter; has FINALLY gone how it's supposed to! You can't see me but know that somewhere in this world I'm doing a happy dance with joy at finally achieving Chapter 9 after months of frustration on it! =) So Very, Very, Very Happy! Onwards to Chapter 10 now!**

**If you hadn't noticed it's a rare happy moment for me! =)**

**Also, Happy St. Patrick's Day! ㇬8 ㇬8**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	232. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 12

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuaysha**

* * *

**Strategy:** _The Science of Military Command, or the Science of Projecting Campaigns and Directing Great Military Movements; Generalship…_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"My lord!" a voice cried out, it had been a week since the first summoning and now the taijiya was returning as he leapt off the yōkai feline who gave her loyalty to the taijiya.

"Kohaku," he greeted indifferently. Bakusaiga pulsed beside him, clearly the fang was curious about the human, but was too shy to reveal his phantom form. Sesshomaru didn't blame the pup for his hesitancy on revealing his phantom form. So far, only he knew of the fang's abilities and the pup seemed to want to be kept a secret from everyone.

"My lord, they are summoning Hachiman," Kohaku huffed out as tried to catch his breath.

"Hachiman?" Sesshomaru repeated, just to make certain he wasn't entirely hearing things.

"Yes my lord, and… they intend to release Izanami. They are looking for your mother's home to find the gates to the netherworld," Kohaku trembled then.

"Come," he ordered as he walked from the field he had been meditating in; yes, he meditated when he was frustrated. It helped with clearing his mind, detaching himself from his worries and seeing the larger picture of what was at stake for him and his allies. There was a lot more at stake here than anyone would like to admit, and he didn't dare to say just what was at stake. Mostly because saying it would be admitting, to himself at least, that there was a slight possibility of him never seeing Rin again and the mere thought of that had a fire burning in his soul which would rage dangerously close to the surface of his carefully constructed composure. It was important that he at least give off the image of being completely calm and collected so no one knew what was really going through his mind.

"My lord! Where are we going?"

"To my council to discuss this, if they truly intend to release Hachiman then there are new plans in need to survive this, and the summoning of our allies," Sesshomaru stated simply.

"Who is Hachiman?" Kohaku asked just as they walked into the camp.

"Hachiman? He's the god of war, sealed away by Daiki-sama, thought to be one of the most terrifying gods to battle. Why do you ask?" a young woman's voice floated to his ear and he turned to look at a set of brilliant green eyes and something like tiger stripes marring the girl's face.

"Michiko," Sesshomaru greeted, again he felt a pulse of curiosity from Bakusaiga course through him.

"Sesshomaru-sama, it has been a very long time, has it not?" she chuckled, she was dressed in male garments and he knew then that she had again slipped her father's guard to come fight. But what did he expect from a tora daiyōkai like Michiko?

"Why would they summon Hachiman?" Kohaku interrupted, Michiko shot the human boy a look of utter disdain.

"Because, Hachiman, aside from being a very dangerous god, was very vocal about his hatred in the yōkai kind before his untimely demise and sealing; curtesy of Daiki-sama. To say he hates us all is an understatement, taijiya; he hates all with an unrivalled passion where our kind and your kind are concerned." Sesshomaru then turned away before Michiko felt the need to speak with him some more and to escape the irritating presence of Kohaku.

Is that true? Bakusaiga's voice demanded in his head.

"Hn," was his answer but the pup knew full well what that meant. They were in trouble. Sesshomaru didn't care though as he walked straight towards his top strategists' tent, she was giggling when he approached and he sighed upon smelling sex. Honestly, young yōkai and their hormones and mating bonds!

"Sōten!" he barked sharply, elicting a startled yelp from Shippo, and a scream from Sōten.

"I'm coming my lord! Just a moment!" she cried out. He just refrained from shaking his head as he listened to her running around in her tent. He'd have been mad if he hadn't happened to know how hard it was to keep his hands off of his mate, and honestly he didn't care about this development.

"What is it, my lord?" she asked when she appeared before him, slightly disheveled.

"Hachiman, draw up new plans and present them to the council by tomorrow; I am going to the West," Sesshomaru stated. "You are to run the troops with Shippo while I am gone."

"Oh?"

"Yes," he shrugged. Now to go get that idiot hanyō who was practicing his fighting. The hanyō was coming with him to the West to try to reason with Xui. Honestly, he had a feeling if the hanyō who looked like her precious son came, she would listen to reason, if not…

Well Inuyasha was a good distraction for his grandmother while Sesshomaru threatened General Wu and Zhong to help him, or he'd demand Zhi to come to the aid of this land. For no doubt if there was a purge of yōkai kind here, then they'd come to the West, and here there were some of the fiercest yōkai known to man and if they were eradicated here then what was to stop it from happening there?

He found Inuyasha in a field practicing his swordsmanship with Koga, and Toran at the same time. Honestly, Sesshomaru was unimpressed, he had fought more opponents and tougher opponents than the ookami and the panther. But that didn't mean he was inturputing his brother and his practicing; Kami knew Inuyasha wasn't much of a swordsman and would need the practice. Inuyasha had it easy, he had the large blade which could serve both as weapon and shield from attacks, also, all he ever did was swing that sword around wildly. Sesshomaru was genuinely amazed the idiot hadn't lopped off the head of one of his commrads or seriously hurt himself.

"Inuyasha, we are leaving," Sesshomaru stated coldly when the practice came to a pause.

"Huh? No! There's a war coming!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Now," Sesshomaru snarled as he grabbed his idiot half-brother's collar and enveloped them in light to travel to the West. Jaken was clearly taking too long and the humans were being too reckless in their summonings, these talks in the West were happening now.

* * *

**Ugh! I can't believe how long it's been since I updated this last! I mean seriously! I know I said I'd finish this after Irresistible Pain But SERIOUSLY!? 3 WEEKS! ACK!**

**Also, if you read Chapter 231, then you know I have that story going along with everything else I write and I must say it's been flowing really well these past weeks! So happy about that!**

**Anyways, yes, Never Be the Same has officially returned as my daily update piece until I complete Part VI: Emptiness Inside.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	233. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 13

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Strategy:**_The Science of Military Command, or the Science of Projecting Campaigns and Directing Great Military Movements; Generalship…_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"Oi! Fluffy Bastard! Where are we going!?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Xui, and do not ever call me 'fluffy bastard' ever again if you like living!" Sesshomaru snapped to Inuyasha as his right hand glowed green and his venom dripped from his claws.

"Whoa! Touchy, where the hell are we going, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha demanded again, he frowned at his brother's condescending attitude; mostly because it did not suit the arrogant hanyō. To be condescending one actually had to be better than everyone around him, and face it, if he wanted Inuyasha dead, he'd be dead with no mercy.

"To Xui's," he answered icily. He would need the backing of a real army; and if this all worked as he intended for it to work then there'd be no reason for hanyō and yōkai alike to worry about the human problem. The gods would be a different matter, he knew this, but it didn't seem to matter all that much, daiyōkai were really oppenents born to fight the gods, born with all their power, and perfection; it was terrifying really.

However, Sesshomaru only felt a thrill at the prospect of fighting gods; especially the all powerful Hachiman.

"Who is Xui?" Inuyasha asked him.

"Our father's mother, you will be respectful, you brat, and if you should offend her I will kill you," Sesshomaru snapped coldly.

"Why haven't I ever heard of this Xui?" Inuyasha demanded hotly.

"Because you are an ignorant hanyō," Sesshomaru decided. He heard his son's pulse in his head with a sharp retort which Sesshomaru would be certain to clarify to the fang later. He did not think Bakusaiga was a hanyō pup, whatever the pup was he didn't know, but it was very clear that he was not normal. At least, not any normal definition of normal; not that Sesshomaru really cared about his pup being normal or not; his fang was his pup and it was a part of Rin he would guard. It really was that simple.

"HEY!" Inuyasha bellowed.

"Quiet!" Sesshomaru snapped as he dropped then on the steps to Xui's home. The wing of the palace Rin had destroyed a few years ago with the fireworks was under construction, he had to admit he was impressed with the amount of damage the human could do when she was trying.

"Ow!" Inuyasha slammed onto the ground when Sesshomaru had retracted the light they had traveled as. Bakusaiga was snickering in his head, and he would've almost sworn that the pup was materializing then and there at his side. However, the pup proved ever stubborn as he remained hidden. Not that it mattered, if no one knew he was there then Sesshomaru felt he would have an advantage over them all, the limits of Bakusaiga were a huge unknown in life. It was wonderful to feel like he had an advantage over all his opponents because of their ignorance to the fang on his hip.

"Ah, Sesshomaru-sama, we did not know to expect you," a servant said noticing him.

"Hn, where is Xui?" Sesshomaru demanded sharply.

"Of course, this way, please tell us that the human is not with you," the servant pleaded.

"The human is Rin, and you will be respectful of her," he snapped sharply as he followed the servant. However, this seemed to relieve the servant. Probably because the human was not here to destroy another wing of the palace.

"Why would it matter if Rin was with us or not?" Inuyasha asked.

Sesshomaru nudged Inuyasha and pointed towards what had once been an entire wing of a palace. Inuyasha blinked at it dumbly.

"So?"

"She did that," Sesshomaru stated coldly. Yes, he knew all about his human's destructive abilities, she was a walking hazard when enclosed in mansions and palaces. She had driven his mother up the wall with her lack of decorum but that was just Rin for you. The small size was her deception to her true chaotic nature.

"Rin? Sweet, little, human, Rin?" Inuyasha asked dumbly.

_Mama's dangerous_, Bakusaiga said solemnly in his head.

"Hn," he nodded in agreement and confirmation. Rin was a very dangerous little human; little and human being the key words in that statement.

"Holy… when did Rin do that?" Inuyasha was gaping at the wing which was under construction.

"Oh, Sesshomaru-sama brought his mate with him and she destroyed Lord Hui of Monkeys a few years ago. She just also blew up Lady Xui's palace," the servant informed Inuyasha.

"Really?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hn," Sesshomaru smirked. Oh he had loved that about the human, her blatant disregard for material things like the stuff which defined the rich. Rin loved the little things, the simple things, and the fact she hadn't really cared about blowing up the palace aside from having a cool story to tell made her all the more loved to him. Though it made her all the more hated with his peers, but what the hell did he care about what others thought.

"Whoa, she wasn't lying about blowing up the palace," Inuyasha chuckled. Sesshomaru just nodded, of course she hadn't lied about that.

"Why would a human lie about blowing up a palace?" he heard the servant grumble and he didn't say anything knowing the comment wasn't really for anyone as they walked towards Xui's throne room.

* * *

Inuyasha just stared in awe at the beautiful palace around him. InuKimi's home was elegant, he would admit that, but this… this was just a grand display of power and beauty all in one go. It was startling to him as he followed Sesshomaru.

He didn't know why his brought had brought him here, he didn't even know who this Xui person was, but he was now curious about this place. He had never left his homeland before now, and he was now curious about what else the world had to offer. Was the world truly as large as Kagome had told him it was?

"Ah, Sesshomaru-sama, and what can I do for my grandson?" a woman rasped.

Inuyasha's eyes snapped onto another gold eyed woman then.

"And who have you brought with you?"

* * *

**Alright, it's been a really shitty few weeks and I'm going to plead for reviews today, I don't often times ask for reviews but I'm asking today. Oh, and NOW it's official, this is back to being my daily piece!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	234. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 14

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Strategy:** _The Science of Military Command, or the Science of Projecting Campaigns and Directing Great Military Movements; Generalship…_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Inuyasha's ear twitched with the question as his eye twitched as well. He had been building up a reputation for himself on his own merit but he hadn't thought he was this unknown. It kind of bruised his pride; he hadn't thought he was this unknown!

"Xui, Inuyasha, the last son of the Inu no Taisho, your hanyō grandson sired by the human princess Izayoi," Sesshomaru introduced him and he blinked dumbly at the sight of the old woman then.

"My grandmother!?" he shouted in his brother's ear. Sesshomaru punched him then.

"Be respectful of your elders, this is InuTaisho's mother," he snapped at him. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head then. It didn't matter how he or Kagome talked to Sesshomaru, they could shout, scream, yell or be condescending to him and he never seemed to react, he always seemed to be calm and in control of himself; which annoyed Inuyasha more than anyone. Who didn't react to anything!? It was as if he did not care about anyone or anything.

However, there was also something unsettling about how controlled of himself he seemed to be.

Then again, his slips on his emotions, the few times they were genuinely expressed, they were far more dangerous than anything he ever encountered. And even when those emotions slipped past Sesshomaru's guard they were volatile and they scared him greatly. Like now, there was a dangerous mix of emotions assaulting his nose as he shrunk from his half-brother. Sesshomaru's gold eyes were alight with a fury which just scared him half to death as he stood there. Even Xui seemed startled and scared at the change of Sesshomaru. Kami! Where was Rin when you needed her!?

* * *

"What is it you want Sesshomaru?" Xui asked, he caught the quivering in her voice as he turned his cold glare on her.

"We are at war, with the gods," he stated this fact. No doubt Xui already knew of this as she was the head of the family, she was in charge of so many yōkai and connected with so many others and probably had a network of spies which rivaled the gods that there was no way for her not to know. She was not a fool after all, she was a leader, an alpha by nature.

"Tell me something that I do not know," she waved off.

"They will come here with the same war if you do not aid us, and if you do not aid us we will die." He stated indifferently. He wouldn't be one to die on the battlefield, he had to track Rin down and wring her skinny, little neck for leaving him and making him worry about her. after he accomplished that… well, then it didn't matter what happened in his life so long as she was still with him. And yes, he knew he sounded like sap but he didn't care because it was the truth.

"Not likely," Xui dismissed.

"They are releasing Hachiman," he informed her and he saw her falter then as she gave him a second look as if she were thinking over the legitimacy of his claim. If she was as smart as he thought her to be then she'd know he was not lying about this, he was stating a truth for her and her followers and packs to worry about. Hachiman would destroy them all without a second thought or without remorse. Hachiman was a god they dod not want to cross or to have loose in their realm.

"I have heard nothing of this," Xui snapped.

"Of course you haven't, I brought this information straight to you, and you know I would not lie about the releasing of Hachiman. Even you must have heard the stories before Daisuke sealed him away," Sesshomaru stated. He was guessing from the worry that he was scenting off of her he was hitting the nail on the head.

"Not even the humans would be so foolish." Xui decided, and he felt like snarling but he refrained, he was not some imbecile like Inuyasha who let his emotions run him.

"Then know this, they are and they intend to release Izanami," he said calmly. Now he saw her visibly panic as she froze where she was standing.

"They could not be that stupid!" she spat out.

"They are, they are human after all," he reminded her as his father had reminded him tirelessly before he had been killed by Takemaru. Humans were insects to be squashed, however, gods were forces of nature one could not really fight, but rather had to endure or escape. There were reasons to fear gods.

"But to release one of them… it's unheard of, even after they were sealed away the first time!" Xui argued.

"I know this, now, will you or will you not aid us, if only to save your own fur," Sesshomaru asked sharply. He had another meeting to get to, he had other allies to speak to before he returned and started a war. Wars were complicated, which was part of the reason he avoided them; he liked the fighting part but the actual planning of a war… it was not something he found to be of his interest. He was a warrior, not a stratagist. But even he knew the value of the planners in a war. Which was why he had Sōten at this moment, but he would need more help with the larger number of troops. Planning had to be perfect for Masaru's plan to work.

A plan Mikadzuki-sama had assured them all to work through Masaru. Sesshomaru did not like the plan, but even he saw the reasons behind the plan and he saw that it could work out beautifully if it worked at all. But it would require help, and forces, and precission planning; which Sōten would need help with.

"And why should I care about what happens to the lands of the East?" Xui finally asked.

Inuyasha twitched again, and Sesshomaru smirked. This was why he had brought the idiot; he would remind Xui of InuTaisho.

* * *

**SORRY! SORRY! I've just been in a Naruto mood, which those of you who follow me as a writer have probably noticed! However, I promise to be good from here on out!**

**And I have a surprise treat for those of you who read this story on April 20th, can you believe it's been a year on that day since I started this story? I couldn't when I noticed the coming date and the published date.**

**Anyways!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	235. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 15

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Strategy:** _The Science of Military Command, or the Science of Projecting Campaigns and Directing Great Military Movements; Generalship…_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

"WHY SHOULD YOU CARE!? ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS!?" Inuyasha roared at the top of his lungs, his ears flat on his head.

"My Pack; My Pups, My Mate; Are Over There! They are counting on me to keep them safe from this threat! We came here to ask you for your aid to save our futures the futures of your great-grandpups! And you're asking why the hell you should care! ARE YOU FUCKING DEMENTED!? WE'RE A PART OF YOUR PACK AND FAMILY TOO! WHY THE HELL WOULDN'T YOU HELP US!?" Inuyasha started in.

Sesshomaru smirked as he watched Xui's eyes widened at the news Inuyasha had just handed her. she was finding out information he knew she didn't have right now as she flinched a bit at his words. Sesshomaru knew that knuckle head was of use to him now. It was the best thing to happen to him since Rin had disappeared down that damn well.

"You would betray our packs and families and for what!? A grudge or a cultural difference!? I fucking hate people like you! People like you are what's wrong with this world! I'm out of here Sesshomaru! I don't care if that hag is my grandmother or not! And I thought Kaede was bad about being a hag, she's worse!" Inuyasha shouted and then stomped off out of the room, leaving him and Xui alone.

"Exuberant isn't he?" Xui murmured to herself.

"I will hear your answer tonight," Sesshomaru stated and turned to walk away from Xui who was standing there dumbfounded by what her grandson had just screamed at her.

Not that it mattered; again. He was not really here to win Xui's support, however it was a convenient appearance to hold should the humans and gods be spying on him. All they'd see was a grandson meeting with his grandmother.

But since he was here he could and would be visiting a few old 'friends' who would have the real power to aid him in this war. Those who aided him would be protected by Mikadzuki's plan, but those who chose to stand on their own…

Well, they could face the consequences of their decision on their own.

There was a war coming and those who stood together would be surviving, those who fought head on would probably be slaughtered. But it wasn't his problem, he was offering the help and those who refused signed their own fates. He had a way out of this, and it was all thanks to Mikadzuki's coming plan and how it would work. He didn't know who Mikadzuki-sama, as her follower Masaru called her; but he knew that this plan, it would work. It was just crazy enough to work in the long run. But they'd have to work together on this for it to work. He wasn't a fan of that part of the plan however it was going to work; but he would be looking forward to the fighting part of this war.

"Sesshomaru!" he heard her shout behind him.

He stopped and slid a side glance over his shoulder then to his grandmother.

"What makes you think I will have an answer tonight?" Xui challenged him.

"Because, I will be leaving tonight with or without your answer tonight and to not give me an answer; Xui, is foolish, and I do not believe you to be foolish; grandmother," he stated indifferently as he walked away from her.

Sesshomaru sent a missive out when he reached the courtyard. He was here for other purposes and he was going to meet with others he had intended to meet with now before he left. No one would be none the wiser about what he was really up to as he then enveloped himself in light. Those who were going to aid him would come to his meeting place to verbally give him their answers.

He would be here for the answers he was asking for. Well, he wasn't really asking for answers, but he was going to be here for the answers he needed.

* * *

Inuyasha was still fuming as he stalked through the palace. He was furious and angry with that attitude of Xui's! He had never heard such a condescending bitch in his entire life; and sesshoamru and InuKimi could be pretty fucking condescending in his experiences.

"Of all the condescending bitches! I can't believe that—!" He stopped as he strangled the air and he reached to grab his fang. Oh how he wanted to rip this place apart! Piece by fucking piece! He hated this place. He froze when he saw Sesshomaru standing in the courtyard then.

"Sesshomaru!" he called out but he was a little late when Sesshomaru enveloped himself in light and disappeared. What the hell!?

Where was he going? Inuyasha knew there was no fucking way he'd even be able to keep up with his half-brother when he was like that. There was just no way to keep up with his brother like that, it was one of the only powers in his brother's arsenal he didn't hold back on. It was one of the things that hinted at his brother's true power, Sesshomaru seemed to be very careful about his true power and all he was capable of.

"Where is he going?" Inuyasha asked himself more than anyone else as he now stared at the sky. He had a feeling that there was more of a reason they were here than just Xui. He just wasn't in on the other going ons around him at this moment. He wondered why Sesshomaru had actually brought him here. It wasn't as if Sesshomaru ever let anyone in on what he was up to but now Inuyasha was very curious about what was going behind his back. He didn't like this problem he was facing, but worse, he hated being left out of the solutions for the problem he was in the middle of.

* * *

**See I'm Being Good! Promise!**

**Cross My Heart! ㈳9**

**(Fingers crossed be hind my back... ㈴0)**

**Anyways...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	236. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 16

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Alliance:**_The state of being allied; the act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc., especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league…_

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Sesshomaru stood there alone in the clearing as the wind danced around him, filling his nose with other scents of his surroundings. He didn't like this but he didn't hate this either. He was just not one with patience; though in comparison to his brother, grandmother, mother, and father; he was a very patient creature. Standing there alone he watched the forest around him.

Bakusaiga materialized in a tree then.

_Papa, what are you planning?_ The pup asked.

"War," he answered as he scented the air for those he was waiting for. He was not pleased with this but he was going to wait for them.

_Do you have a plan, papa?_ Bakusaiga quipped.

"Hn," he nodded then as he opened his eyes. "They're here," Sesshomaru informed the pup. He nodded and then he disappeared again as Sesshomaru's gold eyes lazily slid to where the coming scents were approaching him.

"Well, well, I didn't think I'd be seeing you here so soon. Especially after your little human pet blew apart your grandmother's ancestral home," a voice purred. He looked to the feline eyes of his only ally in this land, the Tiger's lips curled itno a malicious smile then.

"It is too soon for my liking," Sesshomaru admitted only to have the Tiger laughing.

"It's good to see you Sesshomaru, where's the human?" he demanded.

"Rin is gone, Zhi," he answered the Tiger then.

"Well, that's a pity, I was liking her, she blew up that old bats precious palace after all, and not many actually can get under your grandmother's skin. Tell me, is she at least alright?" Zhi asked with genuine interest as to the regards of his human. Sesshomaru flinched a bit, he wasn't certain he liked the Tiger's interest in his human.

"Rin is gone," Sesshomaru repeated.

"Huh? But she was so alive, what do you mean she's gone!?" Zh demanded sharply.

"Rin went down the Bone Eater's Well in our homeland and she has disappeared in the flow of time, she has disappeared," he explained as best he could. He didn't like speaking of what had happened to Rin, whenever he had met her in the past, and it really hurt now, again she was gone down that well, and again he was going to wait for her.

"Well, that is… concerning; is she alright?" Zhi persisted.

"I did not come here to chat, Zhi," Sesshoamru responded coldly as he kept his claws hidden. She was gone, and that was it, she was gone and he was going to be going into war for the time being.

"I understand, so what did you come to see me about?" Zhi asked as stood there.

"I have come to inform you of the coming war, the gods are being unsealed and released into our realm again."

Zhi stiffened then as he stood there in shock. There was an understand between the two of them because they both knew just what the gods were capable of; and though Zhi had no actual experience in this sort of war, Sesshomaru knew who he'd need to aid him in fighting the gods. There were very daiyōkai on par with his level; Zhi of the Tigers happened to be one.

"They cannot be so foolish," he murmured.

"They are, they've already begun releasing the gods, but we have a plan. We need your aid in this battle though," Sesshomaru stated.

"And just what plan do you have formed?" Zhi asked coldly.

"A plan formed by Mikadzuki-sama, her follower Masaru has informed us of the plan and I believe that it will work, however, I need daiyōkai who can fight the gods and not die immediately." Sesshomaru explained.

"That does not explain this plan of yours," Zhi grumbled.

He smirked then.

"Unless you've decided to aid us, I will not be telling you my plan," Sesshomaru answered honestly. No one outside his immediate council knew the plan of Masaru's; and if Masaru liked living he wasn't to tell anyone what they were up to.

"So I'm either in or I'm out? Very secretive Sesshomaru, however, I'm always up for fighting gods, so tell me what this plan of your Mikadzuki's is," Zhi purred.

Sesshomaru's smirk widened as he knew he now had a reliable alliance in the Tigers.

* * *

"So you are my second grandson," the elder stated as he was forced to eat dinner with her.

Inuyasha scowled at the old bat who he had been informed to be another member of his 'family'. Inuyasha didn't like the old hag, she looked down on him and he despised her for her condescending attitude towards him.

"Yes, I am InuTaisho's heir," he snarled as he continued eating his dinner. He was trying to be on his best behavior for he had no doubt Sesshomaru would have Kagome 'sit' him into the next century. The bastard was not above using his mate on him.

"Then you must've known your father very well, how was he in the end, he refused to speak to me for centuries before his death," Xui asked him.

"I never knew my father," Inuyasha answered honestly. It wasn't like it'd have mattered anyway. He was a hanyō, a son of a daiyōkai and a human, she'd have never met him even if his father had lived.

"Really, and I'd have thought you had, you are so much better behaved than your brother is," She informed him snarkily.

"I doubt that," Inuyasha snorted and shoved himself up as he left her behind. He was not enduring that dinner any longer. He just wanted to go home, he was tired of this façade and these false pleasantries. It was time to return to the front lines and make battle preperations.

He did not care about this nonsense or about his grandmother.

His pack was in danger back home and he'd do anything to return home to keep them safe. This would all be pointless if he failed. If they all failed, Masaru's plan had to work.

* * *

**Alright, for real this time, I'll be good again, I'll be updating this daily again! Promise, promise, promise! I am not lying this time, I just really wanted to finish up Until the Day I Die while it was fresh, so sorry!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	237. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 17

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Alliance: **_The state of being allied; the act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc., especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league…_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

"Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Inuyasha snapped once he walked onto his grandmother's grounds.

"We are leaving," Sesshomaru answered coldly, blowing off his brother's antagonistic attitude. He had dealt with far worse than his brother.

"What the hell have you been up to? What aren't you telling me?" Inuyasha shouted as he walked by. He stopped, he never looked back to his brother as he spoke carefully.

"Inuyasha, be silent," he snarled softly as he walked towards the palace where his grandmother would be with the answer to his inquiry earlier. If she said 'no' then his life would be easier for him to leave her to the fate she sealed for herself and her own followers. However, if her answer was 'no' then the war was going to be that much harder for him and his followers. But if the answer was 'yes' then he would be able to ensure his plans success.

"S-S-Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha whimpered.

"Did you not hear me, Inuyasha?" he snapped as he walked onwards. "Be. Silent." He repeated in a harder tone, knowing his brother was now scared of him as he released a fraction more of his own energy than he ever had before.

See, daiyōkai were powerful beings, and usually kept up most if not all of their energy and power sealed away. Sesshomaru knew that by releasing all of his power and energy he'd be able to kill humans from here to his homeland with just the sheer pressure; daiyōkai were on levels of gods in this way, the sheer amount of power and energy they possessed… well, there was a reason Sesshomaru had always lost to Inuyasha in the past. However, despite what his little brother thought, Sesshomaru had never dared to release his full power on him in a battle. It was easy enough to keep himself contained, his energy could kill Rin, and as a pup he had kept most of his powers to himself.

Which was why as he released a fraction more of his power than he had normally released on inuyash he could scent his brother's fear.

"Sesshomaru," Xui greeted him then when he walked in and she stood before him, his aura leaking from him as he stood tall, and un-bowing.

"Your answer?" he asked icily.

"My answer is yes, we will aid you in this coming war, the battle against the gods is not one we can simply ignore, even us who do not belong on that land know to fear the gods," Xui answered.

"Then know I expect your troops to arrive tomorrow morning, I will take my leave now," he informed her as he turned and left her to her own miseries. He despised this place, but even he knew when he was in need of help in a battle and if Inuyasha and his pack had thought fight with Naraku had been challenging then how would they react to opponents of a real caliber? He didn't know, but even he had to admit he was dying to find out just how this battle would go.

A fight with the gods was truly worthy of his attentions. And without his human mate running around wild here, there was truly no reason for him to hold back his powers and full abilities. He was going to crush these gods even if it was the last thing he did. They would know him to be a worthy opponent and they would never forget his name.

"We are leaving now Inuyasha," Sesshomaru informed him when he walked into the courtyard. Inuyasha's ears twitched as he fell into step with him.

Enveloping them in light he flew towards home.

"So are you going to tell me what you came here for?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Allies," he answered coldly as they flew.

"Yeah, I got that but allies for what? This Xui seemed as useful as a toad in heat!"

"There are uses for daiyōkai which you do not need to know of, but if you must know; if you want your family to survive this war you are going to need to trust in Mikadzuki's plan, and for Mikadzuki's plan to work we need a lot of forces of great power.

"There are many uses for Xui and her followers when they come to our aid, we do not need all of our troops dying just to appease the gods. We need our numbers to survive, and the more numbers we have the better chance we will have to survive this. Help is welcomed in some battles," Sesshomaru informed Inuyasha.

"Really?" Inuyasha's ears perked then.

"Yes, and Xui has her uses for me," Sesshomaru snapped as they flew in silence. He wasn't required to like this or to like what he was asking of others. However, he was not dying until he got his hands on Rin and throttled her for this. The woman was his only reason to continue on, because he had a few things to say to her when he finally found her again. And when he was done saying what he had to say to her, he was going to strangle her for scaring him, then he was never letting her go after he was done saying his piece to her and strangling the human.

"Do you ever see people as something other than tools?" Inuyasha demanded then. He stiffened as he glared on his brother, of course he saw certain people as tools, he had been seen as a weapon for all of his life. It was only fair that certain people be tools in return, however this did not mean he saw everyone as a tool to be used at his expense. There were people like Rin who he had never seen as a tool.

* * *

**See, I'm being good, promise!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	238. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 18

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Alliance: **_The state of being allied; the act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc., especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league…_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

"Everyone is a tool Inuyasha, a thing to manipulate for a situation and the sooner you accept this reality the sooner you can be someone using the tools rather than being a tool," Sesshomaru snapped sharply. Though this wasn't entirely true he knew it was a truth for him and something he was very good at exploiting in others. It was the silent ones who were dangerous according to his mother, it was the ones who could stand in the corner of a room and read the entire crowd who were the ones to fear for they were the ones no one could manipulate or out maneuver.

Well, he was one of those creatures and the last time he had been played… well, the spider was dead so no one could even claim to playing him.

"Viewing everyone that way is unproductive," Inuyasha snapped. Sesshomaru didn't argue that it was exactly how their father had viewed them because he sincerely doubted that InuTaisho had ever viewed either of them as living creatures with their own wills and dreams. He knew his father had never seen them as their own, and he knew; just knew, that InuTaisho had pulled strings for them to be the way they were now beyond his grave.

"Inuyasha, that is the only way we are viewed by our father, and that is the only we survived this long. Do not tell me I am wrong when it has gotten us this far in life," Sesshomaru said flatly and he felt Bakusaiga's concern pulse through him. He didn't care though, family was one thing he never exploited. Well, that wasn't entirely true where Inuyasha was concerned but it was true for now, after all, Rin was his family and he would never exploit her in anyway.

"Sesshomaru, that's a fast way to end up alone in life. Trust me," Inuyasha grumbled.

Sesshomaru didn't counter that he had always been alone. He didn't care though, there was a problem to deal with at this moment and thinking about the past would not be productive to what he was trying to do. It would not help him or save him or even aid him. The past was in the past, and Rin was with his past for this moment. When the war was finished he'd worry about all of the business he had left unfinished where she was concerned and he'd wait for her again, but for now…

For now he would focus on eliminating a threat to him and his followers. He would focus on surviving the coming war because if he thought about his future or his hopes or even Rin, he would be distracted and in a battle of the coming magnitude being distracted was a fast way to die. Sesshomaru was not dying until he had a chance to wring a certain human's neck for scaring centuries off of him and for leaping down a well she didn't belong down in the first place. Rin had always belonged by his side and he was getting exhausted with her never being there but for brief moments.

Sesshomaru looked to Inuyasha who looked lost in his own thoughts and turned his attentions back to flying across the mountains, lands, seas and returning to a war torn homeland for the both of them. Come dawn there was going to be a war and come tomorrow the bloodshed was going to be inevitable.

His claws twitched in anticipation and Bakusaiga pulsed with nerves and excitement.

* * *

Inuyasha held his own fang as he glared over to his brother who wouldn't look at him. Truthfully he understood where Sesshomaru was coming from for once he had thought that way, but then there had been Kikyo and though their love hadn't lasted she had taught him a lot about people and using them. Then there had been Kagome and Kagome just made him understand that using people was wrong. She didn't care about what he thought or how he thought, she was furious with him when he had been honest about exploiting her to get the Shikon no Tama. Not that it had mattered…

In the end he had been ensnared by a bossy fifteen year old girl who demanded his help and needed his protection and had delicious ninja food…

Ah Kami did he miss her instant ramen…!

Anyways, the way Sesshomaru was thinking of this war and his allies, it was wrong. At least in Inuyasha's mind, but then he had seen something different in his brother's eyes despite his cold words and malicious intent. Sesshomaru hid it well, but Inuyasha had seen it, and now he wasn't too certain what to think about this war or the coming battles.

Sesshomaru hid his compassion and his empathy, which was the only reason Inuyasha was not bellowing at him to get his head out of his ass and to stop treating everyone like they were disposable. It appeared, despite not expressing it, that his brother did care about those who were following him into this war and it had Inuyasha looking at Sesshomaru in a new light as he stood behind his brother and watched the world whisk past him in the form of light.

Whatever Rin had done to change Sesshomaru, Inuyasha didn't know, but he was putting a new amount of respect for the human girl in his thoughts and actions. The girl had truly tamed a monster, and Inuyasha new because he had had dealings with Sesshomaru in the past and they were situations which gave him nightmares. However, he also had a new respect for his brother, because it was clear now, Sesshomaru not only hid what he was thinking but he hid all of his true power, and Inuyasha instinctively respected the power his brother showed.

Inuyasha looked at the back of his brother and then looked out at the world which was traveling by him.

He decided here and now, and for the first and last time, he'd always put his faith into his brother and he would follow Sesshomaru from now on. His brother was clearly a leader with a plan that he wasn't telling anyone, and Inuyasha hoped to Kami that it worked. He was entrusting Sesshomaru with his family and his own life now, and it was terrifying to Inuyasha for he had never had to put his life or family in someone else's care.

* * *

**Sorry, I hit a hiccup in my war planning and deleted ten of the chapters I wrote because they were horrible! I am so glad I didn't post them! No matter, I think I've worked out my kinks and will be resuming this as a daily piece through May.**

**However, just a heads up, weekends are mine and I may or may not be updating this on weekends, weekdays for sure but weekends I have other things to write. **

**And now, back to planning my war! **

**MWUAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! **

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	239. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 19

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Alliance: **_The state of being allied; the act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc., especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league…_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

"So, what is the plan? The real plan beyond the battle plans, my lord?" Sōten demanded once he and Inuyasha landed.

"Gather the Clan heads who are here, our allies from the West will be here in a few hours; and find Masaru," Sesshomaru ordered as he walked past her in a brisk pace. The largest problem with the plan would be getting the other clan heads in on it. However, Mikadzuki had yet to be wrong about whatever they were planning and Sesshomaru was going to take a rare leap of faith and place his trust in this Mikadzuki person. He didn't know who she was, but since she had yet to be wrong…

Well, he wasn't going to be one to question her or what she was plotting.

Sesshomaru walked right into his tent and looked when Bakusaiga leapt to life and perched himself on the cushions.

_So what are we going to be doing?_ Bakusaiga asked him.

"Planning, if nothing else, you'll be going to Rin," he answered honestly as he then pulled the map of the surrounding area. Normally he'd want the high ground in a battle, it was instinctive, wanting the vantage point to see over everything and knowing where everything was.

However, this time, if he was to use Mikadzuki's plan he was going to need think of something else for this battle. Not a massacre but if this was to work then everything was going to need to be exactly as it was planned.

_How am I to get to Mama?_ Bakusaiga asked him.

Gold eyes flicked up to his ghostly figure of a son who could be and he sighed as he closed his eyes and tried to think. There was no guarantee that this was even going to work but if nothing else, he needed to know Rin at least had Bakusaiga.

He needed to know she was protected, to know there was someone looking out for her and he looked at the ghost again. The fang which he was forged from was propped up there and he stood up straighter then.

"If this all goes awry I will be putting you in the Bone Eaters' Well and you will be sealed in there until you are found again. If this all goes as planned I will keep you with me until we find Rin again, understood?" he asked as he looked back to the map.

_And where is Mama?_

"Here, I just don't know when she is," Sesshomaru answered honestly as he started marking spots where he'd want his look outs, where he wanted his troops and the information he knew of the human troops. They just needed to finish this all before the humans had a chance to unseal Izumi, that would be really, truly bad.

There was a reason his family was in charge of keeping that particular goddess sealed up and locked away from the world. There were powers that the humans were now playing with which they had no idea about. It was like children with torches running through the forest not realizing the danger they were creating as the embers escaped their flames.

The gods were the embers, Izumi though, unleashing her; that was the wild fire which would rage and consume them all; yōkai and human alike.

_What are you planning?_ Bakusaiga asked, flowing over his shoulder.

"Distractions," he answered and then he stepped back to look at his battle plan. It wasn't much but the real battle would be between him and Hachiman. His only goal was to keep Hachiman from unsealing Izumi and freeing her. there were many things that even the younger gods didn't realize and to release Izumi, well, there was something to fear in just thinking that action.

"Jaken, go to my mothers and tell her Izanami," Sesshomaru barked when he scented the kappa near him.

"Yes milord!" Jake squealed and he heard the kappa scrambling away then. Sesshomaru grabbed his map, picked up his fangs as Bakusaiga disappeared again and he stalked out of the tent for Sōten.

* * *

InuKimi stared out across the horizon and felt uneasy as she watched the world around her. the wind danced through her silver hair and she looked around as her claws lightly traced the stone around her neck. Something was wrong, she didn't like it as she turned on her heel and walked into her home.

"Where are you going my lady?" someone demanded as she walked by.

"Out," she answered as she made it to her courtyard then leapt into the air as her body elongated and grew. Her bones shifted, popping out of place as they were rearranged in her and her huge paws hit the mountains as she stood there in snowy fur and her red eyes scanning the area. She'd never be as large as InuTaisho or Sesshomaru, but her like her son she was sleek and she was fast; something InuTaisho had never been as she turned and raced for her destination.

Slowly her body shrunk to the size of a normal inu, she snarled at anything that dared to come near her as she moved through the forest at incredible speeds. She didn't know what was wrong but she trusted her instincts as they carried her to a cave.

Her ears tilted forward as her nose quivered and she was assaulted by the scents of humans; and the spiritual preasure. A snarl had her lips curling up as she darted into the pitch black cave and shifted into her humanoid form as she took the routes she had memorized as a pup straight to the Gates of Hell.

"Gozu and Mezu, be on guard!" she parked as she came to stand before the Realm of Fire's gates. The only key to open them belong to her son, however, enough spiritual energy and the gates would open, she was only lucky that last time Izumi hadn't escaped. This time though, she could not shake the feeling of impending doom this time.

"You will not be escaping you bitch, and I'll die before the gates open up again," she hissed to the door and she turned her back to the door and summoned the poisonous light she'd need as she stood guard over her charge. A duty which had given her, her name.

The Gate Keeper of Hell, and only she held the power of Hell in her fingers. She always held this power, since her father had entrusted it to her, and when the time came this would be Sesshomaru's charge. However, until then, she was defending the Realm of Fire from the coming humans.

* * *

***A special shout out to kagomeLove2 for pointing out a huge error on my part; Thank You!***

* * *

**DO YOU PEOPLE REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT WAR IS TO PLAN!? Oh boy...**

**No matter, I'm up for the challenge, just lemme get the swords sharpened and my armory stalked...**

**In the mean time, it's time to draw the battle plans and send the petitions for war...**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	240. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 20

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Alliance: **_The state of being allied; the act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc., especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league…_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Sesshomaru walked into the tent with all the heads of the Clans and saw his newest allies here amongst his old ones. Zhi was here, thankfully because Sesshomaru would admit he'd need at least one daiyōkai on his skill level and that was Zhi. There was also his grandmother's advisors and generals here: General Wu, his son Zhong, the scribe; Shi, the treasurer; Jin, and Xui's own personal guards; Heng and Hong. Sesshomaru's gold eyes wandered over the faces of advisors and Clan heads then, he was taking in everyone he had in addition to the forces and advisors Xui had sent him.

Here there was everyone, it was a slight relief. Sōten, Shippo, Inuyasha, Koga, Shiori, Toran, Miroku, Nori and his daughter Michiko, Kohaku, Masaru, Fumio, Chieko, Jinenji, and Akio; along with many others who he didn't remember off the top of his head.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Sōten gasped as she stood; she was the first to notice him, he inclined his head to her slightly as he then looked everyone else over.

"They are releasing the gods," he said simply.

"So far they've killed several miko in the process; including on Momoji," Kohaku supplied.

"Hn," he grunted as he took a seat and then pulled out a map.

"Also, they have only been able to summon Fūjin, Ryūjin, Raijin, and Hachiman," Kohaku continued.

"Well, that's four too many," Koga snarled.

"Yes, it is, however, you will not be engaging the gods in battle," Sesshomaru stated coldly.

"WHAT!?" the wolf roared.

"You will be engaging the human forces and following Masaru's orders, to the letter, or you will perish," Sesshomaru informed the gaping ookami who just looked like he had been struck by lightning. "Zhi, Inuyasha, Sōten, Shippo and I will be engaging the current freed gods in battles until we can seal them away. Miroku, you will guard the shrine with Kaede. Masaru, you will be implementing your plan. Anyone who disobeys orders will be left to fend for themselves, and from what I know of the coming future you do not want to be left to fend for yourselves."

He directed the last bit as a threatening snarl towards the room and everyone was silent.

"General Wu, you have experience in leading battle, you will be in charge of the Yōkai Forces," he said; using the name he'd been hearing the other yōkai call their alliance. "Jinenji; you are in charge of medical, Shiori, return to my mother's home with the mates and pups of other yōkai, there you will be met with Masaru and he will inform you as to what is to be happening. Everyone else will be under the commands of Masaru and General Wu."

He stood then and glowered down at them.

"Sōten, Shippo, Zhi, and Inuyasha, come," he ordered as he stalked out of the tent. Everyone was so baffled at what he had just said he knew everyone was just going to do as they were ordered rather than counter him or argue with him. Sesshomaru himself did not think he had ever spoken this much in his entire life; at least, not all once. Kami knew he had never really been a talkative soul with anyone besides Rin, and even then; he wasn't all that talkative.

"What is it?" Shippo finally asked once they made it into the forest.

"You and Sōten will be battling against Fūjin and Raijin," he said simply.

"Huh!?" Sōten's jaw dropped as she gaped dumbly at him and his eyes narrowed dangerously on the little thunder yōkai,

"You are a thunder yōkai; are you not?" he snapped at the baffled young woman.

"Uh… yes?"

"Then you will fight them; InuKimi will have the seals you will need to seal them away again," he stated.

"Zhi and Inuyasha, you will be sealing Ryūjin away, it will take both of you," he stated simply. Ryūjin was a massive god, and it would be no easy task. Even he knew this and he had never battled a god.

"And you?" Inuyasha asked then.

"I will be taking on Hachiman; I am the only daiyōkai alive with enough power to face him," Sesshomaru stated simply.

"That's suicide!" Inuyasha snapped.

"But reality," Zhi said simply and everyone blinked owlishly at him. Zhi shrugged. "I know why your family guards Izanami and Izanagi. If you did not repress all your power at all times then a lot of humans would've died centuries ago; even her."

"What?" Inuyasha said in baffled confussion.

"So ignorant; yōkai naturally produce the dark side of the spiritual energy of this world. A perfected purifying spiritual barrier means little to a daiyōkai of Sesshomaru's caliber because his energy and power is the perfected opposite of what pure spirit energy is. Also, he is the decedent of Daiki, so there's a better chance of him sealing away Hachiman; again."

"Really?"

"Hn," he nodded because even he knew this was not going to be an easy task. However, he had someone he wanted to see in the future and he was not dying or failing in his quest until he saw her again and wrung her neck for her sheer stupidity of running off in the first place. That human was putting him through hell, and the only reason she was getting away with it was because he happened to love her; if he had it his way he'd still have her here rather than missing in time.

"But!" Inuyasha started.

"No, if you cannot do as you were ordered then you can guard the shrine with the monk and old miko," he snapped. Inuyasha's ears were flat against his head then.

"Alright!" he snapped back.

"Sesshomaru, do you know if they have unsealed Izanami or not?" Zhi asked him.

"They have not, and they will have to go through InuKimi if they intend to do so," he said calmly. There were also the statue guardians of the Realm of Fire to worry about; Gozu and Mezu; and they were not easy to get around. Not for him or anyone else, the only reason he and his mother were apparently even able to enter the Realm of Fire was because of the Tenseiga and her Meidostone.

"Ah, well, in that case, where did Ryūjin go?" Zhi asked.

Sesshomaru pointed.

"Come on hanyō, let's go!" Zhi declared as he leapt off in the direction Sesshomaru had pointed. Inuyasha growled as he followed, Sesshomaru said nothing as he then looked up at the darkening skies; the gods were being awakened, this was dangerous and he was now going to go seek out Hachiman.

The only way to seal that god away was with his death.

* * *

**I Finally Got The War Plotted! Mwahahaha!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	241. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 21

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Repress: **_To Press Back Or Down Effectually; To Crush Down Or Out; To Quell; To Subdue; To Surpress; As, To Repress Sedition Or Rebellion; To Repress The Risings Of Discontent…_

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**Chapter 21**

There were plenty of grievences in his life he could forgive. After all, he was a holy man and a man of forgiveness. However, there was one thing in this life he could never, nor would he ever, forgive; and that happened to be betrayal. Specifically the betrayal of humans who dared to trust yōkai.

Ungai himself, had once upon a time, loved a yōkai and looked to the monster as his brother. At least until that yōkai had betrayed him and he had to purify the monster. It had torn him up, but something in him had always known, always; that yōkai were not to be trusted. And he had preached that, for no matter who the yōkai was, they were all mindless animals who only served themselves and killed everyone around them if it served their purpose.

That was what he had believed for thirty years, at least until there was that one human.

She was no miko, no princess, nothing special. He remembered that, it was difficult to forget that; she had been a normal little girl with unruly black hair and wide, innocent dark eyes. But there was nothing spectacular about her, or who she had been. Even he could see that. The girl was completely and utterly ordinary; well, that wasn't entirely true for he had sensed a bit of power from her that he couldn't identify.

However, over the past eight years, whenever or wherever he ran into the girl he saw that thing in those dark eyes which had him wondering if just maybe, maybe, yōkai and humans could get along. For that glint in her eyes had never faltered, never wavered, never left her eyes. No matter how old the girl got to be, that glint never left her eyes. And a mall part of him had admired her for having it, for having that ability, for being able to be a bigger person and being able to entrust her life to a monster. Ungai had never looked up to an ordinary girl so much as he had that child.

And then he had heard the rumors.

Sesshomaru-sama; as the inu daiyōkai was called by all; had devoured his charge, the girl who had entrusted all she was to the beast.

And Ungai's world shattered around him as he was then again reminded just how cruel and selfish daiyōkai really were and he had stealed his resolve then. The monster would be punished for betraying the girl, the child who had loved him and worshipped the very ground he stood upon. Ungai was going to see to it.

Sesshomaru-sama would not get away with the murder of Rin.

And all of the yōkai, hanyō, and daiyōkai of the world were going to be purged from existence because Ungai was not going to stand for anymore betrayal from their kind. And this was why he did not care about the death or loss of one young miko Momoji. Despite what her friend, Botan thought, or what any other miko or monk with him thought, there were going to be sacrifices in this war. And they all had known this when they had started their plan.

Ungai was going to save all the humans of this world, and he did not care about the cost of this freedom. It was important to him because he was so tired of the betrayal in this world. Humans were good, humans were kind, and humans were the divine creatures of the gods. The yōkai were going to be learn that humans were not their play things. And Ungai did not care what the price to learn this was. Yōkai were going to be eradicated and they were going to submit to their extinction.

"Master Ungai!" he looked up when he heard his name called and saw the young miko Botan standing there.

"What is it Botan?" he asked as he sat there in mediation. Two of the gods were here in the campe and he had to admit their power was intoxicating as it filled him. The young girl bit her lip as she looked at him then with hard eyes she gave him a steely look.

"Why do you hate them so much?" she asked finally.

"I do not hate them, young Botan." It was true, Ungai did not hate the yōkai, he was just not tolerating betrayal between humans and yōkai. There had been enough senseless death in his lifetime and betrayal in his lifetime to last twenty lives.

"Then why do you want all the yōkai, hanyō, and daiyōkai eradicated?" she asked him in a tone that reminded him of the curious child he had once met.

"Because, I just know what they can do and just what they are capable of. You must respect their power, but at the same time, they are born to betray; Botan. They do not understand humans, they do not respect us, and they seek to obliterate us all. Yōkai do not understand loyalty," Ungai said as he stood.

"But why now?" Botan asked. "Why start the war now?"

"Because, this Sesshomaru-sama has betrayed an innocent child who placed her life, her love, and her affections in him. He killed her, I can no longer forgive the crimes yōkai commit because they do them without caring about the impact on others. It is time to rid the world of this evil," Ungai said softly and rested his hand on Botan's shoulder. The girl did not look to him.

"I can assure you that in purging this evil from the world, Momoji's death will not be in vain. There will come a time when the world will thank us for saving them, for eradicating this evil," Ungai said firmly. He had to believe this because if he was wrong, and if the dead child Rin was right he'd never be able to follow through with his convections.

"I just want to know that this not all for not," she murmured and she left him. He closed his eyes as he breathed a deep calming breath.

_A bight eyed girl turned to him with a smile and a wave as she darted off to follow the most fowl creature he'd ever encountered. _

He could not let that child be dead for nothing.

* * *

**Hello Everyone**

**Sorry about the lack of updates here but I have news.**

**I'm finishing up stories over the next few months and in this order:**

**1\. Only Tears**

**2\. A Gift for Kiyomi, It'll be in Uchiha**

**3\. Still Hate You**

**4\. I'm Pain, She's Healing**

**5\. Cast Adrift**

**6.. Trying Not to Obliterate Him**

**7\. Rid of the Monsters**

**8\. That Which Cannot Be Put Into Words**

**9\. Because I Love You (Even if I cannot retrieve it from George)**

**10\. Wrong Number, But Don't Hang Up!**

**Before the end of this year I will also have:**

**11\. Conceal, Don't Feel**

**12\. Wait... What!?**

**13\. Shattered**

**14\. Everything, Nothing, Indifference**

**15\. A Different Path**

**16\. Blooming in Darkness**

**.**

**As to Never Be the Same, I will continue to update this regularly seeing as how I'm still on Part VI out of X.**

**As to Until the Day I Die, I have a few dozen arches or so for this story so I'll be sporadically as I write them up.**

**I will probably have other stories posted just as quickly as these are finished.**

**Don't think I've forgotten a single story I've started, I have a plan of action and it will be followed.**

**I also have my personal works going too, and I'm going to be a bit busy but I will complete everything I have to do but be patient with me as I hammer this all out. **

**I'm going to need a sledge hammer to do this but I'm up for the task if you have the patience to keep up with me.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	242. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 22

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Repress: **_To Press Back Or Down Effectually; To Crush Down Or Out; To Quell; To Subdue; To Surpress; As, To Repress Sedition Or Rebellion; To Repress The Risings Of Discontent…_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Kohaku stood in the camp as yōkai and hanyō alike sharpened their weapons and he looked for the familiar shade of orange-red of his kitsune friend. It was no easy task, apparently most kitsune inherited the similar orange coat as his friend, but eventually he found Shippo arguing with the thunder yōkai girl who seemed to be not happy with Shippo at this moment.

"Shippo!" Kohaku called out.

"Oh great, a human, and not just any human, no you have to be friends with a Taijiya on top of everything!" she roared.

"Hey Kohaku," Shippo scowled. "Perfect timing," he snarled sarcastically.

"What is going on?" he asked as he watched the she-yōkai stalk away in her fury; he could feel the electricity cackling around her.

"Kohaku, be thankful you are human and not bound to instincts of claiming!" Shippo hissed as he rubbed his brow.

"You finally marked a girl? I Always thought you'd mark Rin!" Kohaku said as they started walking through the camp. Once, when they had been children, they had both wanted to claim Rin, she was the prettiest girl in the village, and she was untouchable. Kohaku knew this, as they walked together, he knew Rin was forever unobtainable because her guardian happened to be a literal guard inu daiyōkai who watched over her with a close, careful, and observant eye. Rin had never been denied anything in her life, she may have lived her life as a little peasant but everyone knew she was a princess.

She was the princess of the inu daiyōkai, Kohaku had always known this. But it did not prevent their wanting of her. Rin had been a prize before she had vanished in the well.

"I'm not suicidal, Kohaku, besides, only a handful of daiyōkai who could counter Sesshomaru's claim. The number is in the single digits Kohaku, and they've all gone to face the gods in battles," Shippo explained.

"What do you mean 'counter his claim'?" Kohaku asked, he was feeling a bit confused by this wording. Rin was 'unmarked' and he knew this as they walked through the camp.

"Nothing a human can understand, now what is it you wanted to speak to me about?" Shippo asked.

"Are we really going to fight in this war?" Kohaku asked him.

"Well, I have many reasons to fight this war. You can leave if you want, after all, you are the last of the Taijiya with your sister. However, I cannot back away or back down from this fight and if you know the plan then you know why I cannot back out of this war," Shippo said seriously.

"I know, which is why I've come to tell you my assignment. I'm heading to the human side, intel and all; also, a Taijiya is always welcomed in their ranks," Kohaku said. Sesshomaru had given him a mission, a mission which he was going to be performing to the best of his abilities. Though his skills of deception were nothing compared to the abilities of Rin or Sesshomaru he was going to act as a spy though for the Yōkai Forces. Truthfully, since his meeting of Rin and how she respected yōkai he had changed his views on them.

"Really, are you still following our lord then?" Shippo asked him in a dark tone.

"Yes, my loyalties will always belong to our lord, after all, it is because of Sesshomaru-sama and his brother than any of us are alive right now. Sesshomaru-sama is a slayer of Naraku, and he is the slayer of the spirit Magatsuhi," Kohaku said. "And because he is personally responsible for freeing me and because I harmed Rin and he did not demand retribution in the form of my head, I will serve him until the end of my days, even at the price of my life. Besides, Rin's a good friend of mine."

"True, but I had to make certain," Shippo assured him.

"Understandable," Kohaku chuckled. "I am a Taijiya after all, but, Shippo; just don't kill me when you see me," he mused.

"Eh," the fox shrugged then grinned. "See you on the other side of this then," Shippo chuckled.

"Yes, and Shippo; don't fuck up the transformation spells!" Kohaku taunted

"As if I could!" Shippo retorted as they parted ways. Kohaku walked off with a smile then because he had no reason not to be smiling. Everything was going to go alright, he knew this, and it was something which he was appreciative of. There was nothing to fear yet, the battles were being drawn up and come the end of the month the war would be finished.

Yuki was safe, as were the other yōkai females and their offspring, he knew that and it comforted him. Strange, but meeting Yuki had sort of straightened him out a bit. It was as if she had pulled away whatever lust he had had for Rin. Rin was nothing compared to Yuki.

But then, he hadn't seen or spoken to Rin since before she leapt into the well. He had heard tales that Rin was a beauty beyond compare, but he had not seen her, however, he had seen Yuki and Yuki… well, she was gorgeous and when this was all over he was going to marry her.

He was going to rebuild the Taijiya clan without Sango's help, and he was going to become a great man in time. This war was going to be the best way to form his clan's reputation all over again. Even it was going to be built off of a lie. No matter, in the end all that mattered was that the yōkai were protected, and even if the war was a failure, he still wanted them safe. After all, not all of them were like Naraku and that had been a hard lesson for him to learn; and he had only learnt it because of Rin.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	243. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 23

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Repress: **_To Press Back Or Down Effectually; To Crush Down Or Out; To Quell; To Subdue; To Surpress; As, To Repress Sedition Or Rebellion; To Repress The Risings Of Discontent…_

* * *

**Chapter 23**

Miroku stood at the newly built Higurashi Shrine in amazement and looked to the old miko on his left. It was astounding that the woman had even lived this long, she was ancient but there was still something commanding about the elder.

"I never thought…." She murmured on the wind.

"Thought what?" Miroku asked. "That there'd be yet another battle to fight? That we'd be defying the will of our own holy brethren? That we'd willingly submit ourselves to the will of an inu daiyōkai lord?"

"Yes, but ye must understand; I never thought it would ever come to this battle of deception," Kaede said with a dry chuckle. "I have seen much of yōkai deception, and now there is an entire army here about to deceive the entire human race; whilst working together. 'Tis a marvelous sight."

"It's a powerful sight," he admitted blandly as he looked out across the forest and felt the radiating energy of the yōkai. Never had yōkai unnerved him; he was best friends with a hanyō, his daughters played with a kitsune, his son was infatuated with the wild Rin, and his children were all enamored by an inu daiyōkai. It was not surprising to him to be near powerful yōkai, but being here right now was making him nervous because of all the energy pulsing around him. All these yōkai here for one purpose, and one purpose only, it was both fascinating and terrifying to him.

"And what of ye, monk? Are ye certain ye want to join this battle with a wife and five children?" Kaede asked him. He blinked then, he hadn't thought of that, only what was right for his children and what they should grow up knowing.

"I do not know if this is for the best, miko; I don't. However, I know this is right," Miroku said firmly. "My children will grow up knowing what is right, and to stand up for what they believe. I do not want them to believe the yōkai disappeared, I want them to know the yōkai chose to deceive, I want them to know of their heritage, and I want them to know I stood for my friends and what is right. This world is full of diversity and the sooner they can accept this the sooner they will live full lives.

"To believe oneself to be superior to others in every way… it's wrong, and to repress an entire race just because you do not understand it and fear what they are capable of… that is also wrong. I believe that if this world is to have any form of peace that we are going to need to accept diversity and to stand for what is right and for what we believe in. And if that means I die, then I can die knowing I held my honor and stood for my friends and held up what I believed to be right. I believe there is not a kami in the world who could fault me for doing just that," Miroku said firmly.

"Sharp word monk, ye should be careful about them," Kaede mused. He smiled.

"Now, what kind of monk would I be if I did not believe in myself," he chuckled. She chuckled as well as they looked out at the camp.

"Ah, yet another war, 'tis a shame we cannot seem to obtain real peace," she sighed.

"Peace is an illusion, a desire of the human mind which is forever unobtainable," Miroku said bitterly. Humans just could not be peaceful creatures. He had a feeling that they were not too different from their yōkai counterparts in this aspect, the craving to fight, to have purpose, to have ideas, and to show their strength. However, unlike yōkai who did their display as animals displayed their strength, humans had to fight wars and create conflicts to defeat. They were a warring species, there was no denying the truth.

But perhaps…

Perhaps, in time, there'd be true peace amongst their race, but Miroku doubted it because humans were not peaceful by nature.

Yōkai could obtain the peace and true serenity; he had seen it in Inuyasha and Sesshomaru; to just simply accept all they were and to flow with it. Even when they were conflicted and hate filled, yōkai always seemed to be at peace. It was something Miroku had found himself coming to envy.

"This will be no easy war, monk," the old miko informed him as she leaned on her bow.

"No, I think no war is easy or simple, and this is a war of deception," Miroku sighed.

"Be prepared for the humans to come and attack the shrine, they will not believe it to be sacred," Kaede said firmly.

"It isn't, this shrine is only important as it is home of the Bone Eater's Well. It is not a true holy compound, yet," Miroku mused.

"Give it time, lad, give it time," Kaede smiled and they both watched as the sun set, setting the sky aflame with oranges and reds. Everything was never going to be the same come the end of this war. He knew this as he smiled slightly at the view for it reminded him of wife and children.

"Come tomorrow, the world will never be the same," Miroku said wryly.

"Yes, it will forever be different come tomorrow, are ye ready for that change monk?" Kaede asked.

"It's a little late to turn back now," he mused cynically. She just smiled and they both watched the raging skies as the army moved around to ready for their coming battles. It was all so strange this time around, it was so much larger than Miroku had thought it would be. The last battle he had been in it had only been Kagome, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Jaken, A-Un, Shippo, Rin, Kohaku, Sango and himself. There had been no army behind them last time, and now, now he was staring at a force that would rival even Sō'unga's summoning of the netherworld.

"Things really will never be the same come tomorrow," he sighed.

"Yes, best get a good night's rest to face it come tomorrow," Kaede advised. He just nodded as they entered the Shrine for the first time since arriving here.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	244. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 24

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Repress: **_To Press Back Or Down Effectually; To Crush Down Or Out; To Quell; To Subdue; To Surpress; As, To Repress Sedition Or Rebellion; To Repress The Risings Of Discontent…_

* * *

**Chapter 24**

"Has anyone seen Lady InuKimi?" a small voice caught her attention as she sat there in the gardens staring at the new night.

"No Suzu, we haven't seen her since this morning," Sango answered for her as Kagome patted her suckling pup's back.

"Why? Is she missing?" Kagome asked.

"My lady just up and left this morning, and Master Jaken has come with a message from Sesshomaru-sama for her," Suzu explained.

"Well, I bet she's around here somewhere, I'll help you look for her. Kagome, you can watch the kids," Sango announced as she got to her feet.

"Me!?" she yelped.

"Yes, you, I am going help Suzu find InuKimi," Sango said as she trotted off with the gold inuyōkai. Kgome's wide blue eyes settled on the horde of children all giggling and laughing as they chased the fireflies who were dancing through the summer's night.

Herr own pup finally pulled away from her breast and let out a satisfied huff. Kagome was prompt to burp the pup because even pups needed their burpings; they were a lot like human babies this way.

"Feeling better, Hoshi?" she asked her daughter. The pup said nothing as she stared back at her with wide, solemn blue eyes and Kagome sighed then.

"To be honest, pup, I have no idea what I'm doing with pups or children," Kagome admitted. She hadn't exactly been a care taker of children back in her era and she hadn't even wanted a job in child care. She had also evaded all the electives which could help her with babies and young children. Shippo had been an easy child to care for, and Kohaku was never her responsibility, and Rin had never needed attention or care from any of them. Also, Sōta had never relied on her for care giving. So, where children of any age was concerned she was useless in her mind.

Kagome had been spending the entire time; since her return to this era; fumbling along as she tried to keep up with the children. Rin was more adequate with children than she was. The girl had always seemed to just instinctively know what children needed; and though Kagome knew she and Sango did not lavish the girl with attention after they had started having children, she was still the one who knew everything about children there was to know.

Hell, even Sesshomaru was better with the kids than she was! And that shamed Kagome as she watched Sango's brood play.

The boys were wrestling and the twins were trying to capture some of the fireflies as Haruto watched everything around him with fascination; Hoshi was holding her hair as she was propped against Kagome's shoulder still.

"Kagome! Kagome! Look at what we caught!" Kaori shouted as she ran over to Kagome with her hands cupped together. Kanon was right on her sister's heels with her own hands cupped together.

"And what have you got there?" Kagome asked sweetly as she moved to rub Haruto's belly. The pup wriggled a bit and whimpered and she smiled as she looked at the twin girls. Both Kanon and Kaori looked like her own mother, Sumiko; which made Kagome wonder a bit about her own ancestry.

"Glow, glow," Kaori announced gleefully as she opened her hands and the fireflies flew from their hands and she smile as the fire flies flutter away.

"Very pretty," she mused.

* * *

Sango walked through the filling halls of the cloud home to the inuyōkai and she had to admit she was amazed at the power coursing through this home of the inuyōkai. She had always known yōkai to be particularly powerful in their own energy but she had never felt this much power here before as she walked through the halls. It was startling to her as she looked around.

"Shiori!" she gasped when she bumped into a slight form of a hanyō girl.

"Hello, taijiya," Shiori bobbed her head but she held her pose. "I'm surprised you are not on the front lines of this fight."

"No, five children," Sango said as she walked the hall with Shiori.

"Oh, I did not know. The monk?" Shiori asked her with a hint of amused knowing.

"Yeah," Sango smiled fondly as she remembered her husband then.

"Rin mentioned it a few times, that you had settled down," Shiori said softly.

"Oh? You know Rin?" Sango smiled thinking of the young girl who had been unruly and impossible to tame or teach to be a lady. Rin who was unafraid of yōkai.

"Yes, every winter, she was here with me, for training to be a proper Lady of the Inu Yōkai House. She is a very good friend of mine, but she's gone down the well now," Shiori said sadly.

"You know about the well?" Sango asked.

"Yes, my lord told me when I asked. He was very sad about it," Shiori filled in then and Sango frowned.

"He's just mad because he lost his ward and friend, I do not think he cares about the actual well," Sango informed the young hanyō. Shiori chuckled.

"No, Rin's not his ward, I guess she is his friend in a way, but she's his mate, I thought you'd have known this," Shiori said with amusement as she left Sango there.

"What!?" Sango shrieked to no one in particular as she stood there staring at the hall. Rin… Sesshomaru…? What the hell!? She had never missed a mating mark on any human who had ever been marked; she had even separated a few forced pairings between humans and yōkai. But how the hell had she missed that!?

With this new information Sango hurried to Kagome to pester her friend about this information. Kagome would not be pleased to hear that Rin was marked and bound to Sesshomaru. Sango only hoped they could find out and figure out why this was before everyone else found out about Sesshomaru's binding of a child.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	245. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 25

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Repress: **_To Press Back Or Down Effectually; To Crush Down Or Out; To Quell; To Subdue; To Surpress; As, To Repress Sedition Or Rebellion; To Repress The Risings Of Discontent…_

* * *

**Chapter 25**

Shiori stared out at the world as she saw it from the clouds. It was strange, years of always being repressed, of being cast aside and scorned for what she was by both sides of this war and now she found herself being involved with this war, she didn't like it. A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she leaned back into his touch then as her violet eyes fluttered shut and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're not alone in doing this," he murmured.

"I know Shion, I know, and I know I'm not alone in this feeling of confliction, but," she turned to look up at her half ram mate. "But, I can't help it, they all scorned us. Hanyō, a plague is what they called me once, and Jinenji was brutally attacked for so long he won't ever let another touch him. And Inuyasha… well, he was throw to the wilds and told to fend for himself for two hundred years. I just… I don't know, I'm not sure about siding with the Yōkai but the humans… we're not like you Shion. The humans here were never accepting of us, they never loved us, and they have always hurt us."

"Shiori, I know, I don't know what you went through, but since I came to this land… I know, I know very well what you've all gone through and as much as it pains me, I'd rather work with the yōkai than be killed by the humans." Her mate murmured.

"I know," she sighed as she rested her brow on his chest. "I know."

"I have to go, they're expecting me on the frontlines, take care of Asagi, Moegi, and Ai until I return," he said as he gave her a soft kiss and then he was gone. Shiori just watched him go to his friends, Dai and Roku before they all darted off to join the gathering yōkai forces below on the ground.

* * *

Koga's claws grabbed her distended belly as he pulled his mate close to him and felt the movements of his cub in her. Ayame closed her eyes against his touch and he frowned.

"How have you been feeling?" he asked his mate, his mate's green eyes fluttered open then.

"Bloated," she answered bluntly, he laughed as he rested his brow on hers as he cupped her cheek. She made him far happier than Kagome ever could, once he got over his infatuation with the miko he had seen that. Ayame made him happier than he had ever thought possible and the movement in her against his hand was proof to him of how much she had come to mean to him.

"Kai and Shinta will be staying here as your guards with the other females of our pack," he informed her.

"Alright," her hand came up to cup his own.

"Hakkaku and Ginata are coming with me," he informed her.

"I know, just watch each other's back," she murmured. And then she pressed her lips lightly to his as she pulled away. "We're going to be just fine here, Koga, and we'll see you soon."

"Good, and you," he knelt to her growing bump. "Don't come before I get back," he murmured as he kissed the bump. Her claws slid through his hair and he stood up to kiss her again.

"I love you Koga," she murmured.

"I love you too," he assured her as he pulled away from her and walked to the gathering forces. Kai nodded to him as he walked to Ayame with Shinta running after him. He looked back to see Ayame smile weakly as she bravely waved him off. He nodded and then followed his comrades and pack mates from InuKimi's palace. They'd all be back together, this was war though and there were no garentees of return. But there was no way he wouldn't not return, Ayame and his cub were waiting for him on the other side.

* * *

Sesshomaru stared out at the forming battle.

"Hello Bakusaiga," a voice greeted, Sesshomaru turned at the voice as he saw the phantom pup disappear and reappear at his side as he peeked around his leg to look at the new company. "There is no need to glare at me like that, Sesshomaru-sama, Mikadzuki-sama has told me all about you. I know things about you you don't even know about yourself yet."

"Masaru," Sesshomaru replied coldly. His claws twitched and he watched as the kitsune walked up to stand beside him on the ridge overlooking the Yōkai Force's camp at night.

"Come tomorrow there will be a storm here, and war will break out so blood stains these lands once more. Are you prepared for whatever you will face?" Masaru asked him.

"Hn," he grunted with a nod as he stared out at the sky. The winds violently surged around them all and rammed into them demanding attention while they carried the scent of a coming storm.

"Come tomorrow the world will never be the same, are you prepared for that?" Masaru asked.

Sesshomaru slid a glare over to Masaru then. The silver kitsune chuckled then as he stared at the skies again.

What he did not say was he could never be the same regardless, he had never been the same since meeting Rin. No matter which Rin he had met, however old she was, she had always touch a part of his heart and the left, he could never be the same after knowing Rin and all her sides. She was everything, war was nothing, and he knew it as he stared out at the camp.

"You know, she loves you very much," Masaru said softly. "And there's no shame in admitted she changed you. Rin would understand."

"Fox, leave," Sesshomaru snarled through clenched fangs.

"Yes my lord," the kitsune bowed lowly as he left.

_I miss mama_, Bakusaiga muttered once the kitsune was gone.

"Hn," he grunted in agreement. No matter, come tomorrow he'd have a brief distraction of war while he tried not to think about Rin and where she could be. No, when she would be.

_Papa, I'm scared_, the phantom pup informed him.

"There is nothing to fear for you, I will not let anything happen to you, Bakusaiga." He promised the phantom pup, and his final piece of Rin. Sesshomaru would protect his fang at all costs, it was the last thing Rin had bestowed upon him.

* * *

**I meant to post this yesterday, but I had errands to run, and a busy night.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	246. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 26

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Battle:**_ A General Action, Fight, or Encounter, in which All the Divisions of an Army Are Or May Be Engaged; an Engagement; a Combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

It always came at dawn, he thought grimly as he walked up the hill with his newly marked mate and they stared down at where the oni gods slept. Shippo looked to Sōten then as he looked back down their targets who were lounging in the ruins of what had once been his mate's home.

"It was once said we were descended from Fūjin and Raijin, they fell in love with the same thunder yōkai and were mad to have her. My ancestors come from the thunder and lightning, it seems only fair that I'd be sent to seal away the gods of thunder and lightning," she informed him darkly.

"Sōten, I'm sorry," he murmured as he touched her shoulder lightly.

"Don't be, I always had a feeling that this day would come my way," she smiled then. "And though I'm still royally pissed about being claimed; though I always figured you were to be my claimer; I am glad that I am here for this with a friend at my back."

"I'm glad to be here as well Sōten," he smiled at her then. Truth be told, he had always felt… connected to this small thunder yōkai, since the day he had met her for the first time. At first he'd been weirded out by his connection to a boy; but then Kagome had managed to get Sōten to reveal herself as a girl and he had been vastly relieved by that announcement. Even as a kit it had felt wrong to be interested in a boy; most yōkai were straight by nature, animal instincts and all; but this wasn't to say they didn't have their share of same sex relationships. But in terms of claims, those were for mating and mating was for breeding and it was always between a male and a female; regardless of species.

Meeting Sōten…

Well, it had changed his world for all of eternity.

She had changed him, and they hadn't even been nice on their first meeting. They had been mad at one another and childish, then he met her again all these years later and she had distracted him beyond belief.

"Ready, Shippo?" she asked as she lifted her hand and lightning cackled on her finger tips.

"Yes," he smirked as he lifted his own hand and green flames filled the palm of his hand. She smiled broadly then, her braid swung around to thwack him when she spun on her heels and then she was up, the wheels at her feet carrying her up into the air.

He ran low, his paws were firm on the ground with each bound he made as he darted around the rocky terrain.

"Fūjin, Raijin! I've returned to lay claim on my ancestral home!" she bellowed out as she floated in the air. He saw the way the oni gods roused from their slumber as they both looked to her and then one tossed his head back in a laugh which filled the valley and shook the mountains.

"You think to claim what is ours' girl?" one of them rumbled.

"Yes, it is my home," Sōten snapped and the gathering clouds rumbled with her temper.

"You and what army?" the other bellowed.

"I'm not an army but I hope I'll be of service in this battle," Shippo announced from his perch on a cliff, his tail swishing around him. "Kitsune are territorial creatures after all."

He bared his fangs and thought of all the times he had sparred with Sesshomaru-sama or Rin or Kohaku; how hard could two gods be? It wasn't like they'd know his abilities.

"HA! The little girl brought her boyfriend," the first laughed as he stood. The earth trembled with each move and then there was a blast of spiritual energy; the supernatural energy of the gods and yōkai slammed into them. He didn't move as he held his ground and Sōten held her own ground as well as she floated above him.

"I brought my mate," she snapped. Shippo smiled maliciously then, the gods looked confounded and then at one another; for even gods feared mated pairs and he knew it as he lit his claws with fire then.

"And mates are never to be toyed with," Shippo admitted.

"KITSUNEBI!" he roared as he unleashed it all around the feet of the gods. They both howled in shock and he ran right into the very flames he had created as he darted around and the leapt up at the second god just as Sōten came crashing down into the first. He slammed his body up into the lower jaw of the god and leapt back as the slow giant stumbled back and he landed on the mountain. His tail lashed dangerously and he let his beast take over as he felt his own claws elongating and he released his true power.

Though he was by no means on par with Sesshomaru-sama or Inuyasha or other daiyōkai, Shippo knew he had the promise to one day achieve nine tails and prove himself to be the most powerful of kitsune. Almost on the same level as Masaru; which was what all kitsune aspired too.

"You fox!" the god he had knocked back roared, the air shook as he bellowed and Shippo stood as he drew his blade then. He had come to this habit when he had started training under the watchful eye of Sesshomaru-sama.

"I am not a fox anymore, I am a kitsune!" he shouted and then he drew his arm back as he leapt into the air, the god was fast now though, he knew this as he evaded a hand being swung at him again. However the other hand came to catch him was when he pulled a leaf and cast a spell. An illusion which made him grow to the six of this god and he caught the hand being swung at him.

The god stared at him with wide eyes and he smiled maliciously.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	247. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 27

**Emptiness Inside**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Battle:**_ A General Action, Fight, or Encounter, in which All the Divisions of an Army Are Or May Be Engaged; an Engagement; a Combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 27**

Lightning chased her, Sōten darted out of the way as she skated through the air with her weapon in hand as she dove down the mountain side and went low towards the god's ankles. The oni's mistake was in thinking she was slow, and that she was nothing more than a mere girl.

Sōten was far from a normal girl, she was born to the Thunder Yōkai Clan. She had raised herself since she was a child, she had been studying combat and strategy since she had been a child, and she was the apprentice of the Inu Daiyōkai InuKimi. Sōten was about as weak as the raging thunder storm she was summoning in the air as the winds ripped through the mountains, the clouds started stacking up, the electricity cackled in the air and she skated on the heirlooms of her family's kind with a spear in hand.

"Too slow!" she shouted as she skated through the feet which were trying to stomp her, the lightning as she summoned it down to her. the electricity slammed into the head of the oni causing him to roar as she skated on an upcurrent of wind. Twisting her body she slashed her spear through his ear only for a hand to grab her body in a vice like grip.

"Who's slow now little girl?" the oni sneared as she felt the lightning she had coursed through his body all be pumped back into her. Sōten screamed at the burst of raw power which surged through her body, and then she looked up at him with a smile.

See electricity, it was hers' to control and even being blasted at full strength by a god would not over charge her. If anything it would reenergize her.

"Still you," she snapped back as she released the electicity back into the god who yowled as he released her to freefall. However the wheels on her feet caught her as she dart across the air again, she skated through the air as she then slashed her blade at his knees. The oni kicked out, but he was a giant, she landed on his outstretched leg then started running back up his torso, charging all of her energy into her body she slammed into his chin only for him to howl in pain as he stumbled back.

"Alright, if you want to fight a god," the oni snarled, she watched as he was engulfed in light, the huge mountainous form disappeared and she found herself staring at the oni about the same size as her brother had been. He came at her fast, Sōten blocked his attack though when he grabbed her spear and used it to slam her into the ground.

"Then we'll fight without holding back, little yōkai," he snarled.

His tusked face a breath away from hers' then, she grunted.

"Fine by me," she hissed, slamming her knee up she shifted her weight as she slitheredout from under the winded god before she slammed her fist into his cheek then grabbed a protruding horn and slammed him into the mountain, she snatched up her weapon again.

The god rubbed his jaw as if it were tender and then he was up, she watched the lightning blades form in his hands and then she saw the blast of energy as he surged towards her. Narrowly avoiding him, she sidestepped, her spear blocked the sword coming to slice her in half as she twisted her body up into the air. A huge fist slammed into her knocking her through the air to slam and skid across the ground. She rolled to her feet just in time to dive out of the way as the god came slamming down to where she had been, her spear in hand she charged him, leaping up she turned around to slam the blade into his back then she planted her feet into the ground as she heaved his weight up to throw him into the air. Sōten charged her feet as she blasted up then, her fist slammed him and sent him spinning through the air.

The oni right himself then as he spun around to meet her.

A blast of lightning was coming at her, but she was gone already.

She was a thunder yōkai, she was the thunder, she was the lightning, she was not weak, she was not slow, and she was not letting this god get the best of her. Skating through the air she came at him at full speed.

A fist slammed into her ribs but only as she grabbed that wrist to drag him with her as she skittered across the skies. Slamming her knee up again she twisted them around, dragging his arm back behind him then she blast lightning into them as they started rocketing down towards the stones of the mountain. The oni slammed a blast of energy down through his other hand which had propelled them back up as she leapt off of him in time for him to twist around and come at her with his swords.

Thunder boomed when their blades met and lightning cackled between them as she struggled to keep her hold against the god. She was going to win!

"Give it up, girl, you are weak," the oni snarled.

The memory of her brother Hitan saying that very thing to her once had a surge of strength come blasting through her as she shoved the god back.

"I Am Not Weak! I Am The Last Thunder Yōkai! I Was The Apprientice Of InuKimi-sama! I Am The Mate Of The Kitsune Shippo! I Am Not Weak!" she roared as the storm lent her power as she soared above the god, holding her spear out she let the lightning flow into her for she was as much a part of it as it was a part of her.

"And You Shall Know Defeat At My Claws Oni!" she snapped as she blasted towards the god.

* * *

**Coordinating the fights is a lot harder than I originally thought... no matter, I am going to do this.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	248. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 28

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Battle:**_ A General Action, Fight, or Encounter, in which All the Divisions of an Army Are Or May Be Engaged; an Engagement; a Combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

The god swung wide, Shippo ducked because despite the illusion spell he had casted to be this large, he was nimble. Catching the fist of the god as lightning streaked the skies slamming into each other he bore down on the god with all his weight, shoving the god into the earth. He heard the earth shattering beneath the feet of the god.

Yōkai drew their energy from nature energy, from the darkness within their opponent and many other ways, it was why yōkai scared humans so badly. However, the darkness in a god would only serve to feed the power of a yōkai making them be on god-like levels. He knew this, it was instinctive as his tail slashed through the ruins which stood here.

Catching him off guard the god slid his weight under him and threw him up into the air, Shippo pulled another leaf as he pulled the current illusion and streaked down in the form of Kitsunebi to slam into the earth as the god shrunk to the size of a man and set the forest ablaze in the magical fire which would burn nothing but what he wanted it to. It was why none of the birds screamed to flee the burning forest as he materialized from the flames smiling.

"I am the best kitsune in five thousand years to be born, I am Masaru's surpassor, and I am the killer of gods," he snarled. His fangs elongated, his claws extended and slowly his true form emerged. Unlike the daiyōkai he knew who could change on will, he had to focus all of his energy into the shift else it could go wrong.

His two tails emerged as he grew into his fox-ish form, and as his snout elongated he smiled the fox's smile of triumph as his ears slid up to atop his head and grew in size.

"Impressive, but you cannot best a god, ktisune, no matter the amount of tails you have," the oni god snarled and suddenly his hands were encased in lightning blades. Shippo grin as he bore his fangs on his snapping jaws as he circled the oni in the clearing within his sea of raging flames as the thunder smashed over head, the god and his mate were still fighting.

"I have lived two hundred and seven years, I am not dying at the hands of a pathetic god," Shippo snarled then he came low, he was fast, he leapt out of the path of lightning as it smashed into where he had been. Rolling to his feet he continued his relentless pursuit of the god. Jaws agape he leapt up as he slammed his body into the struggling god, his teeth sinking into the divine flesh as he release his kitsunebi and leapt away as the god screamed in pain only to rip his burning arm off.

Slowly he stood to his two legs as again he shifted into his humanoid form. He held up his claws as he let the green fire dance on his knuckles.

"You foolish gods, you don't get it," he said calmly then he lashed his hand out, sending the flames flying towards the god, the oni leapt into the air, Shippo pulled his blade as he darted after the god and leapt into the air after him. Metal and lightning clashed in a roar of thunder as red eyes stared into the divine gold of the oni god's own eyes.

"Get what!?" the god roared as he threw his weight into sending Shippo flying up into the air, the kitsune twisted his body.

"This is no longer your world, it has long since been claimed by yōkai and humans, you have no place here; god," Shippo snapped, then he was upon the god again as again the metal sang. They flew apart as they clashed, racing around the valley, smashing mercilessly into each other. The mountains trembled, animals screamed in terror but Shippo didn't relent in his assault on the god.

Leaping up he raised his sword above his head as he slashed down to where the god was. The oni god rolled out of the way, then shot him with lightning sending a jolt of electricity into him, he shoved it into the mating bond he had with Sōten to give her power as he released another hand of kitsunebi to the god in a streak of green. The oni leapt up, however with a curve of his claws he had the kitsunebi chasing the god as he stood still, his finger tracking the god with every move.

A force slammed into him then, he rolled to his feet, his sword clattered away, and he lunged for the god who had just smashed his mate into him. Sōten darted after his opponent.

Drawing back his fist he leapt up, slamming it into the face of the god was satisfying, having that god slam into the mountain to create a cave even more satisfying.

"How's it going?" Sōten asked as she landed at his back.

"Are they low enough yet?" Shippo asked her.

"Almost, just keep fighting and when they are drained we'll seal them up in my family's crypt," Sōten whispered.

"Got it," he nodded then he ran after the god who emerged from the mountain. Leaping from side to side he evaded the lightning shot at him, leaping up again he twisted around as he slammed into the god with a roar. The god slammed his fist in Shippo's gut sending him crashing through his own mountain.

The oni god was upon him, Shippo's feet smashed up into the gut of the oni as he heaved his weight to roll them, he held the god's arms down with his knees as he started smashing his fist into his face over and over. He didn't care about slicing his knuckle's on the oni's tusks as he fought snarling viciously when a leg slammed into his back knocking him off the god.

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**I'll be back tomorrow!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	249. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 29

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Battle:**_ A General Action, Fight, or Encounter, in which All the Divisions of an Army Are Or May Be Engaged; an Engagement; a Combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 29**

Sōten skated through the air, her lithe form leapt up as she spun her staff in her hand and came stabbing down on the oni god who screamed in pain as she slashed through his shoulder. Twisting up she slammed her knee into his jaw which sent his smashing onto the ground as she pulled her weapon from him. He kicked her legs out from under her which had her crashing into the ground. He rolled, she twisted out of his grasp as she scrambled onto her feet and stomped on his hand, he grabbed her ankle as he got to his feet and threw her towards a mountain. She gasped as the wind was knocked out of her lungs and she hit the ground.

The god came smashing down on her back and she felt the earth crack beneath her as she was stomped on. Gritting her teeth she fought past the pain as she focused on the electricity cackling in her fingers. She focused on making it larger and then she released it in a burst as it coursed up into the god and blast him back. Sōten got to her knees, she grabbed her weapon as she turned her ruby red eyes onto her enemy and then she lunged for him with her fist pulled back. She slammed her fist into his face as she slammed her knee up into his gut and sent him toppling down. The heel of her foot slammed into his cheek, but he rolled away as she shattered rocks.

Her yōkai temper was emerging as her own fangs and claws slowly elongated and the electricity cackled in her veins. She lunged after the god, she felt her body's physical form melt away then as she smashed into the god and rocket up into the storm as she felt the power pulsing in her electric form. The god tore after her, she zapped him with her full power as she danced through the skies on the currents of electricity. It was when he went to grab her that she pulsed her electric form into his body as he howled and roared in pain she pulled out his other arm and she darted over head of him as she materialized.

Smashing down into him she sent him slamming through the mountains with thunderous booms as she raced after him. He caught her throat then which had her gasping as she clawed at his wrist.

"What are you going to do now, you puny yōkai?" he demanded in disgust.

She smirked when orange caught the corner of her eye. Another body slammed into that of the god's which had her hitting the ground and rolling to her feet. She stood beside her mate who's tail was lashing as she stood beside him and they stared at the collapsed gods who were struggling to get up again.

"Sōten," Shippo purred beside her.

The gods moaned but they were down for the count.

"Now what?" Sōten asked her mate.

"Come on, there's work to be done in sealing them away," Shippo said as he created green flames around them and seemed to seal them away in statues as he walked over to collect them.

"To my family's crypt," he said and she nodded as she picked up the second huge statue and followed him. They did not say a word as they wound their way carefully through the debris and wreckage of her once family home and made their way through the mountains. She didn't know where Shippo was leading her but she was trusting him.

She felt the power pulsing in the statue in her hands and it had her nervous as she made her way after Shippo. The gods were waking, they were getting restless, and for hours they walked. She didn't think the magic on these statues would hold for long and it was making her nervous as they walked for the rest of the afternoon. The weather was miserable, the mountain paths were treacherous but finally they made it to something which looked like ruins, but they were all enshrouded in mist as she huffed out a breath and set the statue down on a worn stone slab on the ground.

"Where are we?" she huffed out as she looked around the unfamiliar mountain.

"A spirit mountain my family called Ushinawareta-ka," Shippo answered.

"Ushinawareta-ka?" Sōten asked as she picked up her statue again and followed Shippo.

"Yes, Lost Home," Shippo explained.

"I know what it means," she huffed out as she trotted after him.

"My father and mother said that this is where all lost things come to be found, it will be a good place to put the gods, and it is a place they will never be found," Shippo said as she followed him through the eerie mountain. There was a heavy mist shrouding the place but she faultered in step when she saw a huge, battered, tall, proud gateway standing in the midst of ruins. She faltered for a moment and just stared at the faded red gate before her.

"Whoa," she whispered.

"Come on Sōten, you don't want to get lost here," Shippo called out.

"Right!" she darted after him and stayed near her kitsune mate as they wound their way through a faded garden.

"Ushinawareta-ka, appropriate name," she mused as she followed him down a worn path.

"Yeah, not even the most sacred of miko can get here," Shippo said as they walked into a cave looking rather like a kitsune den.

"Why not?" she asked as she followed him through the labyrinth of tunnels.

"Because, you have to be lost to find this place, and once you've found it you can always find it, but so long as you are a worthy spirit. And if you should ever lose this place, it will never be found again, it's a fitting place to hide gods," Shippo said sadly as they finally found a chamber and he walked in. she followed, green flames bloomed to life and she found herself staring at a prison cell. "We'll lay them to rest here, with my family."

"Alright," Sōten nodded.

* * *

**Hey!**

**Long time no update... well, after the next chapter you can hate me for what I'm about to do, but I recommend you read what I have to say before you yell at me for what I'm about to do.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	250. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 30

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Battle:**_ A General Action, Fight, or Encounter, in which All the Divisions of an Army Are Or May Be Engaged; an Engagement; a Combat…_

* * *

**Chapter 30**

Shippo undid the statue seals, but he had turned the gods into stone statues to forever reside in his family's crypt as he stepped out of the cell and shut the door before putting his hand on it so it was enveloped back into the depths of the earth; never to be touched again by human hands. When he pulled his clawed hand back he stared sadly at the entrance before he opened his palm again and let a green flame dance on his palm as he silently led Sōten back out of the labyrinth of tunnels.

They made it to the entrance again and he saw the pouring rain as he stood there looking at the grey enshrouded world of Ushinawareta-ka. It never seemed to be a cheerful mountain; at least it never was when he was here. He looked down the mountain and saw the human village lights.

"Come on," he said to his mate.

"A village!?" Sōten gasped.

"Yes, this… this was Rin's home village," he whispered as he remembered the one time he had come here with the human girl who had been excited about escaping Kagome's watch for a week of travels with him and Inuyasha. The fourteen year old had been eager to show him her home village and he had always been unnerved by how close it was to Ushinawareta-ka. Not that Rin ever knew, she had laughed telling him that the villagers had always thought the mountain to be haunted, but that she had traveled all through that mountain and the only 'spooky' thing there was a huge red gate.

"Rin lived here?" Sōten murmured.

"Yes, come on; let's get out of the rain," he proposed as they darted through the rain and down the mountain. He'd worry about getting them back to Edo tomorrow. For tonight, they would stay out of the fighting and stay in Rin's old village. He pulled a leaf and pressed it to Sōten's brow before she could protest and saw her change into a nonbloodied version of herself, with brown eyes and more human features as he then produced a leaf and disguised himself as a human as well.

"What was that for!?" she demanded as she rubbed her brow where he had poked the leaf to disguise her.

"So we appear human," Shippo answered as they walked into the village together.

It was a small village, but Koga had massacred it about eight or nine years ago, just before he had met Kagome. Shippo could never understand how the wolf had been able to do that, but then again; kitsune were not pack creatures who relied on others to do their dirty work like the ookami did. Rin had never fully liked or trusted ookami, and she would actually avoid Koga; after seen the after math of the massacre in Rin's home village he didn't blame her for avoiding the wolf.

"There's an inn!" Sōten pointed and they ducked into it.

"Hello, we're in need of a room; we can pay," Shippo huffed out as he looked to the old inn keeper. "My wife and I are traveling and we were caught in this bad storm after having been attacked."

"Oh, you poor dears, yes, we have a spare room," the old inn keeper's woman announced as she bustled around the old man. Shippo produced the few human coins he always had on his person as he paid for a room and they were led to a small room with two futons. Sōten's teeth were chattering from being cold and wet and once they were alone he helped her peel off her bloodied clothes then.

Sōten helped him out of his own bloody garments and they spread the clothes out by the fire as they huddled under blankets together. Neither of them had consummated his marking of her, but it had made his life easier even if their bond was a flimsy, weak one at the moment compared to mated pairs.

"Shippo?" she hummed after hours of them just laying there listening to the rain.

"Hm?"

"Do you think this war will end as we've planned?" she asked him and he slid a look over to his mate as he gently grabbed her clawed hand into his own.

"I don't know," he admitted finally. He'd been holding that in for so long it finally felt good to say his uncertainties as he lay there staring at the ceiling.

"I hope it will, I want to live a long life," Sōten admitted.

"I do too," he admitted. She squeezed his hand before she rolled herself over, her naked form laying on his chest as she stared down at him with her disguised brow colored eyes. He preferred her ruby red eyes, they held more edge in them, her claws slipped through his orange hair then and she sighed.

"I like you," she admitted suddenly which had him tensing under her as she sat up, but her hips straddled his stomach and she couldn't feel his growing hardness as he stared at her naked breasts.

"I like you too," he admitted and he tried to look away from her form.

"You know, when we were kits and I challenged you to that duel, I always knew it would somehow end up here," Sōten whispered and he ripped his eyes from her breasts and found himself looking at her mouth which was a whisper away from his. He wanted to kiss her, to prove he was alive as he stared at her red lips.

"I did too," he admitted softly.

"Good, because I don't want to die without trying this once with you," she murmured. He moved up to her first as he caught her mouth and his claws captured her wrists as he surged up into sitting position. She gasped and he pulled their disguises away for a moment as he stared into ruby colored eyes.

"Good, because I've been dying to try this," he murmured; this was to be his first and his last partner in bed and he'd be damned if he didn't try this at least once before they died.

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**Go to the Hello Reader and read it please!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	251. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 31

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Resolve:**_To Form A Purpose; To Make A Decision; Especially, to Determine After Reflection; As, To Resolve On A Better Course Of Life…_

* * *

**Chapter 31**

Kohaku stared at the humans and took an unsteady breath as he stood up and walked towards their camp. He wasn't a brave man by nature, he wasn't fearless, and he wasn't good at being brave.

No, Naraku had destroyed whatever bravery he had had when he had been a child. He had been used, abused, discarded, and used to hurt those around him who had loved him and come for him. Kohaku had long since lost his bravery, and yet here he found himself staring at the human's camp with his weapon slung over his shoulders and the plan in his mind.

The image of a fearless girl crossed his mind and he steadied himself.

Rin.

Fearless, reckless, brave Rin was the one who had always been the one he looked to and saw courage in. Everything about her was about bravery and he had always followed her lead.

But she wasn't here.

Looking up he steeled his resolved then. This was the right thing to do and he knew that as he walked into the human camp. Samurai, warriors, ninja, and holy men moved out of his way as they whispered their respects for him. Being a Taijiya had always put him in a fighting class of his own. Kohaku walked towards Ungai, and knew when he found the holy man by his spiritual power. After having lived with a miko, and daiyōkai for his memorable life he could tell what it felt like to be in the presence of someone with power.

Rin had power, a unique power, but a power. Sesshomaru-sama had an immense power which hurt to be around for long periods of time. Inuyasha also had a power about him, as did his mate and wife Kagome. Even his brother-in-law had this power about him.

His eyes flicked up then when he saw his brother-in-law's purple robes then and they nodded to one another as the rain started.

"Master Ungai, I am here to offer my professional assistance in this battle, I am the last Taijiya," he said with a low bow to the holy man before him. Ungai gave him a critical once over and Kohaku waited for the holy man's response.

"You are the last Taijiya, truly?"

"My sister is with child and will not be joining us in this battle, but I have the professional expertise that you will need to face the daiyōkai, yōkai, and hanyō, I know all about them, very, very, very intimately," he admitted.

"And why would you help us?" Ungai asked him.

"Naraku," he said simply. He still had nightmares about the spider and he didn't like to admit the defeat of this situation because he was eternally in debt to Sesshomaru-sama for not only killing Magatsuhi but Naraku as well. And because of that debt he was here in the rain staring into the hard eyes of a holy man who would want nothing more than the death of all yōkai and their spawn. Kohaku was not going to stand by as humans and yōkai were killed in the vain views of one man.

Besides, if Rin was brave enough to defy Ungai as nothing but a mere child then Kohaku had no doubts that he could find the strength to betray this holy man.

"You were…"

"I was possessed by the spider hanyō daiyōkai Naraku, I was his puppet and I vowed when I broke free to always destroy yōkai," he lied. He had vowed his loyalty to Sesshomaru-sama after he had been freed but he wasn't going to say that as he stood there.

"Good, we are here for one purpose and one purpose only, we are here to eradicate the yōkai scourge who litter our homeland, if you can help us then I ask you to lead my men in battle," Ungai said and Kohaku looked to Miroku then, Miroku nodded.

"And what of the shrine?" Miroku asked.

"What is this shrine?" Ungai asked hotly.

"It is my family's shrine, the Higurashi Shrine," Miroku answered and Kohaku stood there waiting for the wrath to come from Ungai. However, the bald man merely looked thoughtful at this news.

"It will be yours when this battle is over," Ungai decided and Miroku nodded as they bowed and left Ungai.

"You do know what you just said there, right?" Kohaku asked in a hushed tone.

"Not to worry, for now, I am Higurashi Miroku, but when the real Higurashi clan shows the shrine will be theirs'." Miroku said quickly and Kohaku frowned. This was just going to go over really well with Higurashi Kagome when she discovered who had claimed her family's shrine, built by the mighty daiyōkai, Sesshomaru-sama.

"Well, Higurashi Miroku, your sister, Higurashi Kagome will not be pleased with your claim," he reminded Miroku who shrugged.

"It will all resolve itself, I have no doubts about that," Miroku decided and Kohaku said nothing as they parted way.

He saw the generals' tent and walked through the light rain. There was a boom of thunder overhead which had him curious about how Shippo and Sōten were holding up again the gods they had gone to battle. He didn't know how to feel about that as he looked at the mountains.

There was so much chaos in this world it was disconcerting as he turned back to the tent and walked in. immediately he was greeted by the sight of some of the finest known warriors in the land looking at him. Gulping down his nerves he walked to the table.

'The trick to thieving is belonging,' a girl's voice whispered in his memories and he decided then and there he belonged here. If Rin could make herself belong in a daiyōkai royal court or a market thief then he could make himself a general here for deception.

Once all this was over though he wanted to live the rest of his life peacefully with Yuki and never fight again.

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**It's Officially Back! Never Be the Same Is Back to Being the Daily Piece! =)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same!**


	252. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 32

**Emptiness Inside...**

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**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Resolve:**_To Form A Purpose; To Make A Decision; Especially, to Determine After Reflection; As, To Resolve On A Better Course Of Life…_

* * *

**Chapter 32**

InuKimi stood there darkness of the cave and her ear twitched when she heard the humans coming. Her claws elongated as her fangs became more prominent. Now, one would only be a fool to think her to never be in a fight, she was an Alpha Bitch of the Inu Daiyōkai, she had fought, clawed and earned her place in her pack because she was strong.

She was the keeper of Izanami, and she was the defender of the living. Her body pulsed as she finally stopped balling up and hiding her power within herself and let her gold eyes bleed red as she stood there waiting.

"This way," a human whispered.

"Looking for something?" she purred in a cold, seductive tone as she let their fires illuminate her for a moment.

"Who the hell are you!?" a man shouted her.

"I am the Keeper of Hell, and you are trespassing," she said and she heard the giant stones behind her move as Gozu moved on her left and Mezu on her right. A rare, feral smile touched her lips as she looked at this party of humans.

"We are here to end the yōkai tyranny and free the goddess Izanami!" the leader declared.

"Is that so?" she mused icily. "I cannot permit that," she said and then they raised their odd fire weapons which spouted fire with thunder ringing. She reacted as her red claws spilled light and she lashed it out. the scream of the man who had dared to even level his weapon at her echoed mercilessly in the stony cave. Metal slid from it's sheaths and she lunged forward as she transformed into a feral inuyōkai.

Her build was not like her mate's had been, she was not of bulk or power. But rather, like her son she was sleek, she was lithe, she was quick and she was lethal.

Curling back her lips she released a savage snarl and then the human came at her.

They slashed at her flank, she spun around gnashing her venomous jaws as she tried to take as many of them down with her as she could. Something stung when it hit her and she spun to see a circle of human monks around her.

Her fur rose up and she felt the electric thrill of their pure power, however, she was just as pure as they in the opposite way and she let out a roar as she leapt through their binding barrier. There was the sound of heavy stone moving, then there were screams as she scent of blood, piss, acid, guts and bones filled the air.

From the corner of her eye she saw the stone statues of Gozu and Mezu defend the Rehlm of Fire then as they swung their weapons to smash into the humans who had gotten past her. Snarling surged through the human ranks as she ripped them apart and let their screams echo on the damp stones of the cave.

Transforming she stood there with bloodied jaws, and stained, dripping claws. Turning around she grabbed the throat of the only living human in this cave, the human leader as she lifted him up off the ground and dragged him out of her cave.

"Tell the humans that I will slaughter all of you who come here to unseal Izanami," InuKimi snarled and then she threw the man with al her strength as she slid her bloodied claws up her silk sleeves. Her eyes watched as the warrior scrambled away and she let out a shaky breath as she steadied herself.

It had been a few centuries since she had actually needed to move like that and it hurt. Shaking her disheveled, heavy, silver hair. Her gold eyes flicked up to survey the land and she nodded in satisfaction when she did not see nor scent any humans here and decided to stand guard here and wait until this human conflict was over. They could not be unleashing Izanami upon themselves, suicidal fools!

InuKimi looked her side then and peeled off a sacred seal then and sighed. Pathetic humans, her daughter-in-law could actually inflict wound upon her and Rin was completely human in terms of power.

Sighing she felt her body start healing again and she looked out at the horizons then. She hoped that this war went as planned.

* * *

"What is it?" Kagome asked when she noticed that neither Shiori nor Sango had moved from their spot in hours. She looked out at the horizons and she saw what they were looking out as a terrible monster flew towards InuKimi's home.

"Kagome, take my children and the twins inside," Sango said in a tight tone which Kagome didn't argue with as she hurried to collect the children then. Running into the gardens she began ordering the children into the palace, her twins just smiled as she scooped them up and ran into their quarters. Settling Sango's children and her pups she darted out of her room and grabbed a bow with arrows as she hurried back into her quarters. Sealing off the doors she readied herself for the fight that might be coming and looked at the children who were all sitting there with large eyes and she cursed herself.

She had thought she had finished with fighting when Naraku had perished, apparently she was wrong as she felt a barrier expand overhead and she guessed that Shiori was readying herself. No doubt Sango would be in the fight as well.

However, she was staying here, she would guard the children until her last breath. The rattling on her door, and a hiss had her lifting up her notched arrow as she watched the silhouette of the think outside and the screams of battle started filling the air.

The door plunged open and she let loose her arrow into a human warrior's head as she notched another.

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**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	253. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 33

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

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**Resolve: **_To Form A Purpose; To Make A Decision; Especially, to Determine After Reflection; As, To Resolve On A Better Course Of Life…_

* * *

**Chapter 33**

There was something amiss and he couldn't' figure out what it was, after having had the dragon, Ryūjin take his men up to the shiro in the sky. But as he heard the thunder roar and the rain start pouring he couldn't help but feel as if there was something amiss. He looked around the tents of his men and followers and then he snarled.

Ungai did not like this, but he didn't care, he didn't want to care, he just wanted the yōkai of this world gone. He had had enough of their tyranny that he was willing to do this task himself if he had to do it alone. But he would rather not, he would rather have others standing with him to help him rid this world of the yōkai's tyranny.

For all his flare and melodramatics about the yōkai race he was not a truly brave man, and he would rather have the others do the scary, bloody work for him. But he hadn't always been this way, no, it was only upon meeting an inu daiyōkai and a little human girl that he had come to have a healthy fear of everything that a yōkai could truly do. Besides, he had also heard the whispers, the rumors, the unknown facts about that particular daiyōkai.

But not all were like him.

Ungai knew too well about the miasma which had plagued this land when a certain hanyō had amassed the power of a daiyōkai by merging his body with other yōkai and consuming them all. It was disgusting and Ungai was not going to have it here anymore. He was going to destroy all of the evil in this land and then, only then, would they knew a true, everlasting peace.

That was his goal.

There would be no more fear in the humans that their young maidens would be devoured or their children stolen away by the yōkai. No, there would be none of that when he was finished with the world.

However, this did not shake the sensation that there was something horrible coming for them as he looked out over his men, the banners, and the tents of everyone willing to follow his cause. Looking back up over the hill as the rain opened up he saw it and he gasped at the sight.

There, on the hill top stood a white kitsune with five tails all swishing around him as they both stared at one another for a long moment. The clanging of metal caught his ears as thunder roared over head and the heavy foot falls came.

"Sound the Alarm!" he roared to his own men as he saw the first line of those evil yōkai all lining the hill top. "They're here! sound the alarm!" he shouted as he ran through the tents to men scrambling to get ready for a battle.

* * *

Masaru did not know if he were ready for all of this or not, he didn't know if he could handle what he was about to do but then he couldn't forget something as he stared at the coming forces of humans.

Mikadzuki-sama was never wrong.

In all his hundreds of years of life his mistress had never been wrong. And though it had been a very long time since he had truly spoken to his mistress he knew to trust her absolutely. If anything over the last five hundred years he had learnt that she was a trustworthy creature by nature and she would never purposely steer him wrong.

"Go," he whispered to the commander beside him and there were horrible roars throughout the Yōkai Forces as they charged for their battle. He stood where he was because he was not to be a part of the actual fight.

At least, according to Mikadzuki-sama his purpose was not to fight here unless he was forced to.

No, he knew his roll as he watched the yōkai who surged forward. There was a plan here and he was the key to it working.

Himself and Sesshomaru-sama, which was why he stood there and held his claws firmly up his sleeves as he stared at the brewing battle. The humans roared and his eyes flicked up to the human leading them and staying in the back.

That was his target, everything else was his duty, task and job, but Ungai was his target.

Ungai was the reason for this, and if everything went as planned then there would be no need to worry about it as he felt his body become flames. Masaru leapt into his true form as the flams licked at him and then he surged forward, shrinking the giant fox he was into one about as large as a common inu and he ran as he light the brush afire and prepared to kill his target before implementing the plan from Sesshomaru-sama and Mikadzuki-sama.

"Be gone you beast!" there was a shout as he felt a hit of spiritual energy knock him off his feet but it didn't deter him as he shifted into his humanoid form and stood before Ungai.

"Surrender or perish," Masaru said firmly.

"You will perish before I, monster!" the monk spat out and he nodded as he showed his fist. Flicking his fingers open the flames lit up his claws and danced over his palm as the rain opened up to downpour on them.

However, his kitsunbei never extinguished.

"See, my mistress, Mikadzuki-sama; has yet to be wrong about anything. I doubt she is wrong about this," he snarled and he lunged for the monk with his claws bared and a fight coursing through his veins as he snarled. He was intercepted by a staff but it did not deter him as he tried to rip the throat of the monk out.

He would destroy this man as he had been ordered to do.

And then he would complete his orders from Sesshomaru-sama.

* * *

**I want to apologize for not keeping up with the daily update on this story, but now that I have a realistic outlook as to what I am doing at this moment I'm forwarning you that I will update this as often as I can but it probably won't be an official daily piece until I finish up my other works. I'm still going to try my best to update it daily though.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	254. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 34

**Emptiness Inside**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Resolve: **_To Form A Purpose; To Make A Decision; Especially, to Determine After Reflection; As, To Resolve On A Better Course Of Life…_

* * *

**Chapter 34**

The sweet tang of blood coated the battle field and he laughed in delight as his claws ripped his opponents apart. He was loving this, there was a cry behind him and he spun around to slash through it.

It had been a truly long time since he had been in battle like this as he smiled his feral smile and charged the humans. It was exhilarating as he once again unleashed the yōkai within him and let it roar in power.

Koga had never felt more alive as he left the dead warrior and charged the next horde of humans. His claws elongated and he shredded the armor he howled in victory as he ripped a man's heart out and crushed it in a bloody pulp in his fingers. The gurgling man slid off his arm and he turned to his forces as he smiled ferrally.

"Come on!" he goaded as he stood there grinning. The rain slid over his body, and the blood coated his senses as he stood there smiling in delight as he planned what he was going to do to these humans before the plan was in play.

A human charged him with a blade pulled and he caught the steal in his hand. His blood broke through his skin but it didn't make him falter in his hold as he snarled in delight and pushed back in the fight. Foolish people, was all he thought as he pulled the blade towards him and his claws sliced through the man's shoulder as he spun the man around and threw him into the ranks of the humans. There was an arrow in his shoulder and he smiled at the pain of it.

Koga couldn't remember the last time he had had a fight like this in his life. He wasn't going to stop his fighting until it was his time to go. Everything in this plan was to go off of timing and he wouldn't fail.

Leaping up he broke the arrow in his shoulder as he felt the bloodlust filling him boil over and he released a roar which had human men screaming. Fall into their ranks he slashed and ripped them apart, their blood stained his claws, it filled his senses and it had his own senses pounding in glee as the dull pain of the fight hit him slowly.

It never slowed him though. Even as the human's swords sliced through his flesh. Snarling he just fought harder as he ripped his claws through their flesh.

"Koga!"

The name had him turn just as he saw a bough of blue, there was a ripping sensation through his chest, he looked upon a human's blade and his knees felt week as he stumbled.

"Die monster," he heard and then there was a flash of light as he collapsed.

* * *

Many could call her a fool, many would call her a fool, but Sōten looked at the kitsune beside her and smiled. They may not succeed in their plan, but she had faith in everything he was believing in. It was impressive to feel her mate in the back of her mind like he belonged here. she closed her eyes and savored the sensation. It was good.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispered.

"The plan, do you think it will work?" she whispered.

"I don't know, but… I believe that Masaru-sama would never fail us on purpose." She looked at those green eyes then and she sighed as she let her eyes flutter shut. The wonderful feeling of having him here, even if she was still royally pissed at him, was a good sensation. However, they couldn't stay like this for forever.

"And if this plan doesn't work?" she murmured as she reluctantly opened her eyes.

"Sōten, I trust sesshoamru-sama and Rin more than anything, and if Sesshomaru-sama is certain about this plan then I would put faith in it. Besides, after this storm passes, we're going to be needed back at the camp," Shippo informed her.

"And what of Ushinawareta-ka?" she murmured.

"What about it?" he asked her.

"What are you going to do about it, it needs to be guarded if we are putting the gods there," she whispered.

"Sōten, no one can get there unless they know where it is, and to know where it is one must be lost, because Ushinawareta-ka can only be found by the lost," Shippo murmured as his claws traced her cheek.

"And can Rin find it?" Sōten mused thinking of what he had said of his human friend.

"I have a feeling there are a great many things of which Rin can find which she is not supposed to fine. Also, the woman is almost always lost on some matter or another," he sighed and she laughed. Looking at her mate she held the sheet to her naked breasts and smiled.

"Do you love her?"

"Rin?"

"Yes," she replied she wanted to know if there was something for her to be jealous about where that human was concerned.

"Hm… a reasonable question I suppose, but… no, no I don't love her like you're asking. Rin… she's my best friend, if there was ever a person you want on your side in any conflict then it's Rin," he informed her.

"She's a strong human then," Sōten mused.

She had only ever really seen glimpses of Rin from time to time in their passings of one another at InuKimi's home, but she did really pay attention to the small human girl who had free run of everywhere she went.

"Very, I can see why Sesshomaru-sama would be destined for her, and she for him."

"Do you think we will ever see or find her again?" Sōten asked her hesitantly.

"Honestly, I don't know," Shippo whispered and Sōten sighed.

"I wonder if she is lost to us forever," Sōten murmured.

There was a monsterous roar which had her looking out the window with a shiver of fear coursing down her spin.

Sesshomaru-sama.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	255. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 35

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Resolve: **_To Form A Purpose; To Make A Decision; Especially, to Determine After Reflection; As, To Resolve On A Better Course Of Life…_

* * *

**Chapter 35**

Sango stood beside Shiori who was summoning a barrier then.

"How did they get up here!?" Sango demanded as she stood there with her short sword in hand.

"Ryūjin, a swarm of them were attached to him!" Shiori exclaimed. Sango slashed her sword as one of the men came at her. There was a shout of pain, but she kicked him away as she looked to the white haired hanyō who was pulling up barriers around InuKimi's men.

"Shiori, can you hold them?" Sango demanded.

"What do you think I am trying to do!?" she hissed.

"Just making certain," Sango countered as she ran forward and engaged the men head on. She was not useless in the field of battle but she wasn't going to go into war with the humans. Not with the plan in place. It was that thought in mind which had her blade singing as she intercepted a blade coming to chop her down.

"Bitch," the man snarled.

She kicked him swiftly between the legs, he crippled and she slashed her blade through his neck severing head from body as he fell.

"Yeah, blood thirsty bitch is more accurate," she snarled and then she spun around as she continued her fight. She was swift as she fought. There were screams of men as her blade ripped through their flesh and blood coated her. She would not let these men get near her children!

She was a mother now, she had Kaori, Kanon, Michio, and Mitsuru to protect, there were also Kagome's pups. Sango was not going to simply roll over and let her family perish without a fight.

Snarling she stabbed a man who came at her through the chest. Then she rolled from another opponent as she came up to stab the man up through the gut, his mouth held her blade, she pulled it away as she turned around to block another blow. She let out a scream of pain as something ripped her back. Spinning around she slashed through the men's guts, there were screams and she felt her sticky blood seeping from her back. Turning around she was quick to stop a slash at her again, the metal rung out as she held herself up as straight as she could. The man came at her.

She fell into a defensive crouch as she tried to avoid the blade.

Tearing her blade up she slashed through skin, veins, muscel, and blone. The man howled as his sword arm fell onto the ground useless. She slashed his throat as she snarled.

However she screamed when a man came at her with a dagger and buried it in her belly. Thrusting her blade upwards again she killed another man as she kicked him away. Standing there on the stairs with bodies litering it she looked to the blade protruding from her side and stumbled.

Another came at her and she swung wide then something slammed into her shoving her towards the man's blade.

"Sango!"

* * *

Shiori sent a blast of her shield through the men, InuKimi's men were left standing but everything human was flung from the side. Grabbing her skirts she ran after her human friend as she left the others to fight. She could fly, Sango couldn't.

Leaping off the steps she formed a shield around her as she dove through the air for her friend. The ground erupted into a fit of arrows, but she didn't slow as she surged faster.

Her hands grabbed the bloody, limp body of the human woman and she floated there looking her over. There were two blades in her gut and that in Shiori's limited human knowledge wasn't good. She created a shield which levitated Sango upwards. Then she turned her wrath down on the humans.

Throwing her arms out she summoned the heaviest barrier she could. Then she slammed her arms down. There were screams as she felt them all crush into nothing beneath her. Shiori gave a shout of pain and shock as something stung her shoulder deeply and she saw the humans on the mountains. Pulling her defensive weapon around herself she then expanded it again. The men all screamed as the invisible force hit them.

"Sango," she whispered in worry and then she surged upwards. The rain was growing heavier and she landed lightly on the steps leading up to the shiro and saw Sango.

"Where's Kagome?" Ayame asked, Shiori recognized the ookami then.

"I don't know, she was with the children," Shiori admitted. "Go, I'll tend to her," Shiori offered.

"I know more about injuries, find Kagome," Ayame ordered. Shiori nodded as she jogged up the stairs.

* * *

InuKimi stood there looking out at the fires and rains of the storm surging around her. she was standing guard right here just in case, but her inner yōkai was longing to join the fight to protect her pack. But then that was the nature of the inu, protect the pack.

Her claws elongated as she felt the flares of dark power behind the sealed door between Mezu and Gozu. She snarled a bit and then she saw another coming party of humans, this time armed with monks and she sighed as she rolled her shoulders, cracked her neck and looked at them again.

This was going to be a long battle.

There was a snarl from her and she lunged into her true form as she charged the men head. Her jaws dripping with the venom of her bloodline and her teeth bared. The screams were music to her ears as she grabbed the lead man's torso in her jaws and ripped him in half by shaking him. Spears littered her hide but she didn't faulter as she spun her massive jaws upon them and snapped through them. The men screamed in terror but she never faltered.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	256. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 36

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Worth:**_ Value in Respect of Moral or Personal Qualities; Excellence; Virtue; Eminence: Desert; Merit; Usefulness; as, a Man or Magistrate of Great Worth…_

* * *

**Chapter 36**

Inuyasha tore after Zhi as they chased the dragon who had flew by InuKimi's palace. He had worries about the humans he had seen leap off Ryūjin. However he focused firmly on the dragon flying away.

"How are we going to handle this?" Inuyasha asked the tiger he was perched on as they raced through the air.

"Not die," Zhi replied which had him scowling. That wasn't a plan, and as he pulled Tetsuaiga he decided that he was just going to go with it.

"That's not a plan, how are we supposed to get it down on the ground to seal it back where it belongs," Inuyasha snapped. The tiger beneath him said nothing as they bounded towards the dragon. There were a thousand and one bad ideas rolling around his head about how they should do this but it appeared that he was going to need to rethink a few strategies for fighting this dragon.

Ever since he had defeated Naraku and had Kagome come back to him, he had startled learning how to actually fight rather than just pound away on an opponent until they lost or he got destroyed. And while he was by no means the fighter that his half-brother was, he was better than before when he didn't he know what he was to be doing.

"Get me close to him, I'll drive him down," Inuyasha decided. He could do that as he watched how the dragon snaked through the air and he snarled. This was going to have to end for the plan to work. he and Zhi would need to seal the god away. Once Ryūjin was out of the way they would have the war tilt in their favor. He knew that, and this was why he was watching the dragon.

The war would be in their favor once the extra powers were sealed away. With that in mind he watched as they closed in on the dragon. Leaping up he launched himself from the tiger onto the tip of the tail of the dragon. Swinging his weight upwards he landed on the dragon's back.

There was a furious roar then and he stabbed his fang down. The jaws that came snapping at him had him swinging to the side he twisted his blade. There was a massive weight which slammed into them. Looking over at the coming ground he yanked his fang from the scales as he hit the ground and rolled to his feet. The earth trembled as the daiyōkai and the god hit the ground. The tiger leapt back into his humanoid form.

"Petty creatures," the god rumbled.

"Zhi?" Inuyasha hissed.

"Your plan!" the tiger countered. Inuyasha sighed and he swung his blade up again and they looked at the dragon who was sitting up high up on his legs.

"You go high, I'll go low," he decided. Zhi just nodded and he charged the dargon. A huge tail came at him and he lunged out of the way as he ducked under again. Slashing upwards trhough the tail he found himself covered in blood as a set of teeth came at him.

Yelping he dove to the side as he tried to get out of the way and felt one latch onto his arm. Spinning around he slashed his claws through the dragon's snout. Zhi came smashing down onto the head of the dragon just as Inuyasha ripped his arm away. The beast snarled and Inuyasha saw the fury in those bloody red eyes. The terror which coursed through him was diminished immediately as he swung a punch. His pain smashed into the snout, the beast reeled back from punch. The tiger roared as he was flung back and Inuyasha surged forward.

Slashing his claws through the dragon's chest he worked on shredding it as he slashed through the scales. The roar which had the forest trembling had him knocked down as a large paw smashed into his side which had him slamming through forest. Hitting into the side of the mountain he groaned in pain as he stumbled back.

Snarling he spun around as he looked at the dragon. The tiger was in his true form and Inuyasha decided to use that to his advantage as he leapt towards the battle again. He pulled Tetsusaiga from the ground then as he leapt upwards with roar of his own as he raised his weapon to chop the dragon's head apart. The dragon pulled away and he slammed into the tiger as they hit the ground.

"Get off!" Zhi shoved him aside they turned to the dragon and he snarled.

"This isn't working," Inuyasha said as he shook his wrist in frustration and pain.

"How the hell do we defeat it, everything we throw at it just bounces off!" Zhi snarled.

"I've noticed, we'll just have to hit harder," Inuyasha decided. They would fight smart and they could defeat this dragon and he would seal it away to live a life with his mate and pups in peace. That was all he wanted to do. Thinking that he spun Tetsusaiga up again and got ready to go at the dragon again. The tiger sighed.

"This is going to hurt, stand back," Zhi ordered.

"What are you going to do?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Well, I'm a daiyōkai like your brother but I'm not as powerful, there's a reason I need you," Zhi snarled. He stepped back then. The pressure of energy from Zhi started to transform. The beast within him was trembling in fear but he watched careful as the tiger let his head fall back and he roared as his bones, joints and body all started snapping and changing into his true form. The power was hitting him at full force and while Inuyasha knew daiyōkai to be powerful but feeling this let him know his brother had never unleashed everything.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	257. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 37

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Worth:**_ Value in Respect of Moral or Personal Qualities; Excellence; Virtue; Eminence: Desert; Merit; Usefulness; as, a Man or Magistrate of Great Worth…_

* * *

**Chapter 37**

Looking at what stood in the place of Zhi Inuyasha could honestly say he was scared. The massive tiger was an impressive sight to behold, however, that wasn't what was scaring him, it was the pressure of energy. If Sesshomaru had never unleased all of his, and Zhi was saying that he was not as powerful as Sesshomaru it had Inuyasha scared of just how powerful his brother really was.

Not that it mattered.

Inuyasha had yet to figure out how he was to unleash his inner yōkai but he knew how to fight with all he had and he wasn't giving up when he had two pups and a mate to take care of. Swinging Tetsusaiga up he charged head on to the dragon.

A massive coiled tail came crashing down upon him, releasing a roar of anger he slashed up at the descending tail. There was a howl of pain and Inuyasha landed on the dragon as he stabbed Tetsusaiga down for a hold.

There was a murderous glare from the god but Inuyasha only smiled as he stared at the god. The tiger lunged for the dragon's throat, the claws of the dragon slashed the striped pelt of the tiger, and Inuyasha took the distraction as a chance to race of the spines on the god's back. He didn't slow as he tried to keep his foot. The wings spread, he gasped as he again stabbed Tetsusaiga down into the beast.

The dragon spun on him, jaws snapping. Reacting on instincts he had not needed to rely on since having Tetsuaiga he unleashed his claws.

The taste and scent of dragon's blood coat him as the beast's mighty head fell back and he roared.

There was a bloody thud on the ground where the severed tongue of the dragon lay and then the tiger was upon the god again. Inuyasha clung for dear life and tried not to get crushed between the god and daiyōkai who had a hold on the god's throat.

Hitting the ground he rolled to his feet the raced towards the head of the dragon.

Their goal was simple, and if the planned worked he should be able to do this as he ran for the head of the dragon again.

The tiger screamed in agony, the scent of blood rained down upon the forest, but he never slowed. The dragon's jaws were locked on the tiger's forearm and Inuyasha leapt for them as he lifted Tetsusaiga over his head. It squirled with the dragon's scales as he saw the pool of whirling energy he wanted to target. And he grinned in his success.

The head of the beast spun on him and open jaws caught him. He screamed as the jaws slammed shut and he howled in agony as his leg was caught in the razor sharp teeth.

Snarling he spun up as he raked his claws over the soft under pallet of the jaws and ripped Tetsusaiga through the roof of the mouth he was trapped in. The dragon flung his head and Inuyasha screamed in abject terror as he flew into the ground.

Smashing into the trees and rocks he groaned and noticed the blood of his mangled leg.

A snarl of fury at having been injured for the first time in a long time had him heaving up his fang as he again charged the dragon.

The fury numbed his leg, and the pain fueled his rage as he pulled the fang back and swung with the full force of his strength with the red blade. The dragon roared as he was hit and the tiger leapt over him. Inuyasha was surprised that Zhi was still in the fight with how ripped up he appeared to be.

The jaws of the beasts clashed and Inuyasha decided it was time to chop the go about chopping the god into tiny pieces as he copped the tip of the dragon's tail off.

The beast howled, and Inuyasha watched as Zhi took hold of the god's throat as they slammed into the ground. Running up the underbelly of the dragon, dragon his Tetsusaiga through the dragon's softer scales he heard the screams of pain as the beast flailed.

But Zhi held on.

The serpent body of the dragon rippled up, Inuyasha flew off, off balanced with his bad leg as he again hit the ground. The dragon wrapped his bloody coils around the tiger.

Leaping up he sprung for his original target. The swing head of the god made it easy as he pulled his arm back and aimed. Hurtling Tetsusaiga he charged after the fang as it flew for it's red target. The dragon roared when it hit, Inuyasha slammed into his fang and drove it further into the gooey flesh of the eye. The writhing body released the tiger who raked his claws over the god's form. The jaws of the massive head spun to him and Inuyasha narrowly leapt out of the way as he ripped Tetsusaiga from the eye.

He howled in agony when he landed on his bad leg for it to give out beneath him but he was up and snarling as he charged again.

There was nothing for him to gain from this fight, but there was everything to lose if he lost and he wasn't going to lose as he came for the dragon with everything he had. A massive clawed paw slammed into his side like it was swatting a fly and he felt his body go flying as he slammed into the trees.

Again he got to his feet and again he charged after smashing into a boulder. He would not relent in his attacking no matter how many times he was swatted away because he couldn't lose this fight.

Zhi leap over him again and the tiger when for the throat of the dragon god again.

* * *

**Haven't forgotten you guys! But ye gods is this fight difficult to coordinate!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	258. Emptiness Inside: Chapter 38

**Emptiness Inside...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Worth:**_ Value in Respect of Moral or Personal Qualities; Excellence; Virtue; Eminence: Desert; Merit; Usefulness; as, a Man or Magistrate of Great Worth…_

* * *

**Chapter 38**

Slowly he moved through the rain, Bakusaiga was at his side as he moved through the storm when he came to a stop and felt the rain pounding on him.

"I was told you'd been reincarnated," a voice chuckled.

"I am not whoever I was," he replied coldly as gold looked up to blood red.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't be, I believe you are now going by the name Sesshomaru-sama," the god chuckled.

"Hn," he grunted as he looked at the god who had his blad slung across his shoulders casually. His own clawed hand drew his fang slowly.

"Sō'unga has taken the liberty of filling me in about you, Sesshomaru-sama, you don't stand a chance," the war god laughed. The thunder boomed overhead.

"I would not be as certain about that if I were you, Hachiman," he snarled as he felt Bakusaiga pulse nervously in his claws. It wouldn't deter him.

"Fine then, let's find out which of us is the best, Daiki, and may the winner still be breathing," the kami chuckled.

Sesshomaru was ready for the first move, the god slammed into him, smiling a mad, bloodthirsty smile, and Sesshomaru held the face of indifference. Metal rang, he spun around as he slashed at the god's flank. The war god leapt out of his path, but Sesshomaru pursued as they flew into the skies.

Lightning cackled, thunder roared, metal sang and they snarled. Bearing his fangs he did not dare to back down. He didn't waver, and he didn't falter as he threw the god back.

"Impossible!" Sō'unga roared. "I cannot read your mind!"

_Ha!_ A glowing phantom declared and Sesshomaru didn't slow. He lunged for the god, hacking, and slashing, he was not going to slow. He wasn't going to stop.

The god tried to stab him as he let out a powerful roar which released his energy, descimating everything near him. Sesshomaru released his own power then, his full power.

The roar as his body arched and the power surged through him rivaled that of gods, and he was finally releasing it all. The pain of his body as it grew, lengthened, was ripped apart as his bones shifted from human to inu ripped through him. But the releasal of his true power numbed the pain as the light enveloped him and surged up. Slamming into the ground he stood there as an inu daiyōkai larger than his father ever had been, baring his venomous fangs and his jaws drooled his poisonous siliva he smiled at the god.

"Want to fight, inu daiyōkai, let's fight!" the god came at him. Sesshomaru's lithe build was not like his father's bulky one, he could not rely on brute strength but he was nimble. Evading he snapped his jaws at the god's armored arm. Sō'unga came for his head and Sesshomaru lunged up.

* * *

Everything was going according to the plan, Masaru thought as his magic surged over the battle field. He smiled in delight as he saw everything Mikadsuki had prophesized was going as she had told him.

The kitsune's head fell back as he smiled and let his powers be unleashed for the first time since he had first met his mistress. Everything was alive as he moved the leaves about on the winds, unleased oceans of fire and heard the gods' battling.

"You were right, Mikadzuki-sama," he mused. The battles raged on and he felt a manic laugh coming upon him as he worked to do what he had come to the past to do.

His lips curled when he scented the humans come upon him.

"Die Kitsune!" a man roared.

"My mistress has not given me permission to die yet," he laughed and heled up his claws. The fire dancing around him was his to manipulate. The coming human never stood a chance, the green flames of kitsunebi sprung to life as they engulfed the human.

"And I never disobey my mistress," he murmured manically and then all the power he hadn't been able to control when he had met Mikadzuki came flying out of him as he unleashed it all. He was born for the past, he thought with a heady laugh, he had been sired in the wrong era, if he ever saw his mistress in the future he would thank her for rescuing him from the wrong time.

* * *

Kagome stood over the children, she had another arrow notched and she felt her fears travel down her spine as she stood there waiting for the next man. He came, knife and all with a cry of war. She unleashed another arrow, the man grunted as it pierced his chest. Drawing another one she heard footsteps. Twisting around she unleashed another as it felled another invader.

"I want my mama!" a twin screamed.

"You're mama's alright," Kagome tried to assure the child as she readied another arrow. A man came crashing through the wall though as he tackled her. Kagome screamed as she tried to get away. There was a howl of pain from the man as he spun around. Kagome stared in horror at the sight of her son propped up with his claws bared, he was only a moon old, he and his amber eyes were filled with blood lust.

She knocked the man off her, grabbed an arrow of hers' and stabbed his eye before he could stab her pup. Snarling furiously she stumbled to her feet again as she readied another arrow and dispatched it into the coming man. She would not let any harm befall her pups! Or her friends' children! She wouldn't!

There was a horrendous scream behind her, Kagome turned to see the fire and a man come running through the fire.

She gasped as she unleashed her arrow. The toddlers and kids were trying to escape, she snatched up her pups and herded the others out of the fiery structure. A man tackled her into the ground then as one of the twins screamed and she saw the knife.

* * *

**That's the end of Part VI: Emptiness Inside folks! **

**Thank You To All My Silent Readers, I Hope You Have Enjoy Part VI: Emptiness Inside! =)**

**A Special Thanks To My Reviewers, though I do not write for reviews you should know they are greatly appreciated! =)**

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**That's all for now folks!**

**Part VII: Can't Turn Back Time is up next! ;)**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**

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**P.S. This is officially a daily piece for real now; coordinating that fight was a real bitch.**


	259. PART VII: CAN'T TURN BACK TIME

**Part VII**

**Can't Turn Back Time**

If there was ever a thing people tended to want to do it was turn time back, I'm no exception.

Now, despite all the experience I have with time and how it is to be used, and what one is to do with it, I have also learnt that it always moves in one direction. Leaping back in time is only enough to create a ripple, for time is continuous and moves forward.

And once it's gone it's gone.

I lived two years of my life knowing this, and I have loved every moment of it. I have loved every life I have lived and have been gifted with, and I have loved every moment I have breathed. Even when it does nothing but pain.

However, I will keep moving forward, even though I wish for nothing more than a chance to turn time back to be with him again.

I would gladly trade all my time for a moment with him, but that is not how time works.

Which is why I move forward with the time I am in, and savor my moments of life. For I will count my blessings, take my punches, get right back up and continue following my lord and love. Even if he's in a time I can't turn back to.

I will wait and I will live.

Time can't rob me of everything, now can it?

I just have to keep moving with the flow of time.

* * *

**A Sample of What's To Come Tomorrow! ;)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same!**

**(= See You Tomorrow! =)**


	260. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 1

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Adapt:**_ To Make Fit (as for a new use) often by modification…_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

She was falling, Rin remembered that as she watched Sesshomaru's amber eyes; hard and filled with anguish disappear from her sight. Focusing past her pain on her breathing Rin tried not lose herself as she felt her body being weightless. Slowing her heart and calming her mind she felt the pulsing pain of her wound as she watched the stars around her.

Where was she going now? She wondered briefly as she fell past the abys.

Wherever it was she hoped to see Sesshomaru again. She still needed him, loved him and hoped for the best with him. But her heart was aching as her eyes fluttered shut and her body obtain weight. Gently her back was pressed on the dirt floor of the well. Rin's eyes never opened as she fought and struggled to breath.

"_**AAHH! THERE'S A LADY IN THE WELL!**_" a voice screamed.

There was nothing for her then.

Beep.

Where was she? She wondered as she tried to think of what had happened. A blinding pain slashed through her then as she tried to breath and her eyes felt unusually heavy as she lay where she was.

Beep.

That's right, she had been stabbed. By… by… she felt herself tense painfully as she tried to think of who had stabbed her and then it hit her like a cold bucket of water and had her eyes snapping open to blinding light.

Beep.

"Takemaru," she breathed as she winced against the light. She had preferred the darkness; it was more soothing to her than this light which had her squinting painfully as her eyes tried to adjust against the lights.

Beep.

Her ear twitched at the intrusive, annoying pitch of that unnatural sound. Groaning a bit, she turned her head towards the sound only for someone to appear over her then. She winced as another blinding light was flashed over her eyes then, and then she was glaring into a new face with a set of concerned brown eyes.

Beep.

"You're awake, Miss Mikadzuki. Can you tell me where you are?" the man asked her. Rin sighed at the unfamiliar name being given to her, she was just Rin, and Mikadzuki was a soothsayer from five hundred years ago. Masaru, that annoying kitsune had been Mikadzuki-sama's messenger and loyal follower, also the carrier of Mikadzuki's will.

Beep.

"No," she breathed as her chest tightened and she turned her head away from the man looking down at her. She looked towards the beeping and found some strange box with several squiggly lines bouncing up and down with strange writing besides it. It was the strangest box she had ever seen!

Beep.

"Well that's alright, your cousins are waiting for you out in the waiting room, and the police would like to ask you a few questions Miss Mikadzuki," the man informed her. Rin's ears twitched at the unnatural sound coming from the odd box.

Beep.

"Cousins?" Rin rasped, her mouth felt parched as her fingers twitched, one of them was encased with something. What she didn't know, and with how heavy her body was feeling at the moment she couldn't look down at her hands to see what was on her finger.

Beep.

"Yes, now just give me a moment, Miss Mikadzuki," the man said.

Beep.

"It's Rin, just Rin, not Miss Mikadzuki," she whispered.

Beep.

"Alright, Miss Mikad… Rin, I'll be going to get the Higurashis, no doubt they are worried about their cousin," the man said as he left the obnoxiously white room.

Beep.

Rin frowned as her head fell to the side again and she looked at the strange box with moving images. What trickery was that? She wondered, however she soon found she hated that thing for the obnoxious noise it was producing.

Beep.

Honestly it was disrupting her chain of thought, she didn't like this. But she was too tired to deal with it as she turned her head the other way and looked at the spitting image of Sango which had her eyes widening in shock and her lips parting in slight shock as she looked at the older woman. She had short hair, the same tawny eyes, the same lithe build, but she was kinder, and softer than Sango had been.

Beep.

An old man followed the woman, and with him came two children. Rin's eyes flicked from the elder to the two children.

Beep.

The boy was years younger than the girl, maybe four or five, he had large brown eyes and a look about him which reminded her a bit of Kohaku.

Beep.

The girl, well, the moment Rin's eyes landed on the girl even she could not deny knowing the girl. It was Kagome, those expressive blue eyes and bossy demeanor were showing even in the girl who was about ten or eleven.

Beep.

Rin hid her smirk at the sight of Kagome as she looked back to the mother of the woman.

Beep.

"Hello, Miss Mikadzuki my daughter found you at the bottom of our family well. You had been stabbed, but we couldn't figure out what happened and we said you were our cousin," the woman said as she walked over and sat on the side of the bed then.

Beep.

"I am Higurashi Sumiko," the woman smiled softly and Rin smiled slightly in return.

Beep.

"Thank you," was all she said as she turned her head the other way and closed her eyes to shut away the tears. Damn it!

Beep.

Kami did she feel like sobbing like a little girl, all she wanted to do was to go home, to be with her lord again, to have him hold her tightly and say nothing other than to offer his silent presence as comfort for her.

Beep.

But clearly, clearly she hadn't gone home. Much to her regret, if she was here then she was in the modern era. A shaky sigh escaped her lips as she fought off her sadness when suddenly someone hopped on her bed, painfully pressing on her stomach which had her looking back towards the people in her room.

Beep.

"Why are you sad!?" a set of brilliant blue eyes demanded.

Beep.

"Kagome! Get off of her! That is not something you do to a stabbed woman! Especially when she's in the hospital!" Sumiko scolded. Rin just sighed for that was just typical Kagome, it appeared she would never change and the thought brought a smile to her lips then as she ignored her own sadness again.

Beep.

However! If that… that… that box! Did not stop it's annoying noise she was going to kill it! Rin slid her glare over to the box then; infernal noise thingamajig! It would die!

Beep.

* * *

**Mwuahahahahahaha!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	261. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 2

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Adapt:**_ To Make Fit (as for a new use) often by modification…_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Sighing Rin looked to those earnest blue eyes belonging to the younger version of the Higurashi she knew very well as a soft smile curved her lips.

"I'm alright, I'm not sad, truly," she assured the young girl. Kagome blinked then as she sat on the bed with her mother and brother. "I'm just hurting, a stabbing will do that to a person."

"Oh, I didn't know that," Kagome said as she tilted her head in thought. Rin said nothing then as she looked to the older woman who looked like Sango, and she saw a look she often times associated with Sango. Rin smiled at the elder then, and she sighed again. For again it dawned on her she hadn't made it home, she hadn't gone where she needed to go, again. And again she was somewhere she didn't belong to, and when she belonged mattered to her in a small way that she would never be able to explain to anyone. Then again, she belonged where she was so long as she was beside her lord. That was all that mattered to her.

"How did you get in the shed where the well was, Miss Mikadzuki?" Sumiko asked her and Rin felt saddened as she remembered those cold amber eyes, so full of pain and it was pain she had forced on him. For she had forced him to accept letting her go, to release her, to surrender her to time and to the fates. No doubt he'd hate her for that, by now. Then again… he hadn't hated her when they had met when she had been a child and that had been two hundred years after their love affair and the nonsense with Takemaru…

Perhaps… just maybe, he never grew to hate her.

"I fell into it," she admitted.

"And the shed?" the old man demanded.

"I was pulled into it," Rin lied. Perhaps they'd think she had been attacked or something and would leave it alone. That was her personal hope, but it wasn't necessarily what was going to happen. Besides, the fates had proven over and over that they despised her with all they put her through.

"Ah, and by whom?"

"Don't know," she shrugged as a four year clambered up her stomach, she winced as his clumsy hands hit her wound and then she found herself looking into a sincere set of eyes which made her think of Miroku. Then there was the girl staring at her with large trembling blue eyes which also made Rin think of Kagome's older self. Though overbearing, demanding, suspicious, and slightly ditzy, Kagome's heart was always in the right place.

"You know, Miss Mikadzuki, you look real sad, are you alright?" Kagome demanded again.

"I'll be fine," Rin repeated. She would always be fine, she was rather like a cat in that way, and her lord did not mind her odd qualities of independence.

"Miss Mikadzuki—" Sumiko started.

"It's Rin, just Rin, nothing else," Rin piped up suddenly. Mostly because the name Mikadzuki was that of a soothsayer who had helped turn her life upside down. Not that it really mattered to her as she was here without her lord. Her smile was directed at the young child holding her shoulders as he stared at her in wide eyed wonder.

"Well, then, Rin, what were you doing in Tokyo?" Sumiko asked her.

"I was traveling," Rin answered honestly; she had heard Kagome mention her home village of Tokyo a time or two in the past and knew that Tokyo resided where Edo was.

"Alright, Grandpa, would you mind taking Kagome and Sōta home?" Sumiko asked the elder.

"Not at all, come on kids, time to tell you about this cure all passed down for generations! It'll cure anything!" the elder declared happily as he took the kids and left. The scene made her smile a bit as she lay back on the bed and look to Sumiko whilst ignoring the annoying beeping of box beside her.

"I always knew that that well was special, the entire shrine was built around it. Now Rin, when are you from?" Sumiko asked her.

Rin blinked in shock.

"Don't seem so surprised, my husband and father-in-law always found odd relics in the well which were hundreds of years old but dated as fairly young. I've always thought that that well was tied to time somehow, though I must admit you are the first person I've met from the well." Sumiko supplied for her and Rin felt her eye twitch slightly.

"Well I understand if you don't wish to speak of when you're from, however as a word of advice for when speaking to the cops. Do not mention the well's abilities and you're my cousin from out of the city, we haven't seen each other for twelve years and you came to visit me and my family while looking for a job," Sumiko said hushly.

"Why would you help me?" Rin asked suspiciously and suddenly the elder's face softened slightly with a smile gracing her lips then.

"Because, Rin, I feel as if we have met before and you did a great deal for me then. Strange as it may seem I have had dreams where I swear I've met you. Also, I feel as if I am in a debt to you and I don't want you in trouble or in danger, so please just cooperate with me on this."

Rin sighed in defeat.

"Then you should know my name is Rin, and Rin only; Mikadzuki is not my name," Rin informed the older woman. Sumiko smiled then.

"I'll let you in on a little secret, Rin, I never thought Mikadzuki was a name of yours," Sumiko informed her with a smile.

"That's a relief," Rin whispered honestly.

"Good, now, if you do not mind, in this era we deal with cops who handle out crimes and they want to speak with you. Just be as honest as you can be, I'll be staying here with you just in case you should need assistance, or to fend them off. You've been put in a precarious pickle Rin, I'm not going to lie about that." Sumiko informed her and Rin felt her lips curl into a sly smile of her own.

"I've been in worse pickles, and unless they're here to torture me then there's nothing for them to discover in regards to who I really am," Rin mused darkly. She was no weakling, in fact she had lived through some of the worst life had to offer and this era was not so… strenuous according to Inuyasha and Kagome. She'd be fine.

"We don't torture people any more Rin!" Sumiko gasped. Rin just blinked.

"They don't?"

"No! Humans have rights you know!?" Sumiko said swiftly.

"They do?" Rin blinked then in confusion. What the hell was this now!?

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	262. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 3

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Adapt:**_ To Make Fit (as for a new use) often by modification…_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Rin was sitting up when the police walked in, Higurashi Sumiko had insisted on staying with her but she didn't think that was necessary. If torture was no longer a way of questioning, then Rin did not feel the need to worry about these men asking her about her stabbing. Besides it wasn't as if they would actually be able to capture her attacker, both InuTaisho and Sesshomaru would be the ones to kill him. Not that Rin was going to say that to these police men.

Her eyes flicked towards the men when they walked into her room, she ignored the incessant beeping from that box and her discomfort at these men seeing her so vulnerably. However, she pulled up the defenses around herself as she feigned a looked of complete indifference to the situation she was in. it wasn't as if she had done anything in this era; yet; and her crimes were a thing of a past so long ago here that they really weren't worth mentioning. That box though was irritating her as it beeped away.

"Miss Mikadzuki, I'm Detective Tanaka, and this is my partner, Detective Yuuki; we're here…," he started.

"You are here about my stabbing," Rin finished for him for she really did not wish to drag this talk out longer than it needed to yes.

"Yes, now what can you tell us about that night?" Tanaka asked her. She frowned a bit, she wasn't going to tell them the truth and tell them that she remembered her stabbing perfectly; even the raw hatred residing in the eyes of Takemaru when he had attacked her. It was something she doubted she'd ever forget; even when she would want to forget that. It was like when she had been a child, all of that hatred in those eyes, it was something which would haunt her for eternity.

"Nothing, it was dark, I was going to a big formal event, he came from now where, and I was stabbed," Rin shrugged.

"How'd you get into the shed and the well?" Yuuki asked her. She looked to the submissive of the two men, and sighed.

"He dragged me into the shed, when he was pulling the blade from my chest I fell, and tripped down into the well," Rin decided that was plausible. Besides, after having been stabbed by a katana and having it ripped from her body she could attest to her balance being iffy.

"Did you happen to see your attacker? Or the weapon used?" Tanaka asked her. She turned her attention back to the dominate member of this pair.

"There was a hatred in his eyes, I can't forget; but no, I could not describe him to you in another way. As to the weapon, a katana," Rin stated coldly. The men stiffened at her words.

"Are you certain about that weapon?" Tanaka asked her.

"I could not forget it even if I wanted too," she whispered as the scene replayed through her mind.

_She gasped at those eyes; those eyes which haunted her nightmares as a hand grabbed her throat and shoved her back into the room.__She slammed her open palm into Takemaru's nose, he released her throat, she grabbed Bakusaiga from her sash to slam the hilt of the fang into his stomach and then she spun it around without unsheathing it as she slammed it into his shoulder then she turned to try to run again. Hands grabbed her ankles. She slammed into the ground spun onto her back just as a blade came down on her, she didn't scream as it sliced through her lower chest. She kicked him in the groin instead, Takemaru stumbled away, she hissed when he yanked the blade out of her then._

"So a katana stabbed you, how'd you escape?" Yuuki asked her.

"I kicked him back in the groin sending him stumbling back; then I fell into the well," Rin stated indifferently. She had been in far worse fights, but that one had startled her so badly and those eyes. Her childhood fear of Takemaru had paralyzed her.

"Well, that was good work, Miss Mikadzuki," Tanaka smiled softly at her then.

"Rin, my name is Rin, nothing else," she murmured as she looked to her hands and bit her lip. She had always been called Rin, never by anything else.

"Alright then Rin, is there anything else you can tell us about your attacker?" Tanaka asked her.

_Yes!_ Her mind screamed. _He's dead! My lord dispatched him to the netherworld after he tried to kill me the first time, not the second, when I had been a child_.

"No," she murmured.

"Well, we're going to track down your attacker and see that justice is done. Also, the doctors mentioned that you have had several other fractures from past assaults, and there's old scaring all over your body. Is there anything we should know about that?" Tanaka asked her. Her gaze flicked to his again, dangerously then.

"No," she stated in her hardest and coldest tone. There was nothing for them to know in regards to her past which had happened well before this era had even been sired. Besides, it wasn't as if these men would be equipped to handle dragons, or yōkai, or wolves, or the monsters of the past.

"Alright then, we'll be in touch with you about this when we have leads," Yuuki informed her.

"Thank you, but that's not necessary, I do not believe he will be coming back," Rin whispered as she remembered that death. She could still remember, quite vividly, the fight between her lord, with Inuyasha and him working together, against the fang and Takemaru.

"We'll be in touch, here's our card if you remember anything please call us," Tanaka insisted.

"Thank you very much Detective Tanaka, my cousin is very thankful for your help in this matter," Sumiko said with a smile. Rin did not smile as she watched them leave, it wasn't like they were ever going to find who did this to her, he had been dead for five hundred years at this point.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	263. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 4

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Adapt:**_ To Make Fit (as for a new use) often by modification…_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

'…_And in other news it is reported that a victim of ketsueki bureido is reported to have survived her attacker by kicking him in the groin. The alleged victim is a Mikadzuki Rin, currently in the hospital for injuries she sustained during the assault…_' a box with strange moving images shouted in the room.

Alright!

Rin had had enough of the beeping and talking boxes and her past four days of hell had made her temper rise dangerously high. If that beeping and talking boxes did not stop then there was going to be a homicide! And she would not be blamed for it!

With this in mind she was up, and trying to figure out the strange garments Sumiko had left for her. She figured out the clothes with relative ease as she yanked the strange garments of her legs. It was the bind for her breasts which was fussy, but she had it on, and it was gently placed over the dressings of her wound. Now she had to pull the last garment over her head; as best she could guess.

"Excuse me, Miss Mikadzuki—" she turned at the male voice to find herself glaring at the doctor who had been in charge of her health. Her arms folded over her breasts as she glared over her shoulder.

"What?" she demanded in a sharper tone than she knew she had.

"S-s-sorry!" the man squeaked and she turned around in her confusion for the apology she was receiving.

"There is nothing to be apologizing for, you are a healer; are you not?" Rin stated coldly as she stood there in the cold room. It was odd for a man to be gaping at her but she was overlooking this factor because her entire body had scars like tigers had stripes.

"U-uh, yes?"

"Then there is no need to be ashamed, unless you are a pervert, in which case I will simply beat you up." Rin shrugged indifferently as she turned her back again and pulled the garment over her head. Pulling her hair out from the garment and then pulling it back in a simple tail as she was prone to do. Her lord had never really liked it when she cut her hair, so now it was falling just past her hips; she wasn't going to let it get much longer than that though. Despite what Sesshomaru may or may not desire.

"Oh, um, well, I was just coming to tell you that Higurashi-san has filled out your discharge papers and is currently waiting for you," the doctor informed her. "Also you should be aware that your hCG levels were higher than normal, but that could be nothing as well as something. You should speak with your regular physician about it if you have concerns."

"Thank you," Rin said calmly as she turned to give one last glare at the evil, noisy box; honestly that box was something Shippo would prank her with to annoy her! It was something which irked her; the never ceasing noises. Honestly she did not see how Kagome had missed this era; their era had been much better, and quieter.

"Ah Rin, I see you're already dressed, ready to go home?" Sumiko asked when she appeared the room. Rin said nothing as she picked up the odd little white thing, it was smooth to the touch and as she lifted it in her fingers she trembled slightly for she was looking at her own image.

Mikadzuki Rin

Age: 18

DOB: March 20, 1991

It had her fingers trembling slightly as she looked back over her shoulder to Sumiko as she slipped the white thing with writing and her image into her pocket.

"Yes," Rin replied indifferently as she tenderly moved towards the door where Sumiko was waiting for her.

"That's good, I've done up all your paperwork so let's go," Sumiko said happily.

"Thank you," Rin said softly as she walked beside Sumiko. She had snapped and snarled at the healer who had come near her with one of those chairs with wheels on it. She was not crippled, she was merely injured and she had suffered far worse injuries than a mere stab wound. Just thinking about it was making her remember all of her encounters with everyone else in the past.

"It's not a problem, besides it's good to know that you're alright," Sumiko informed Rin.

"I'm always alright, and I've suffered far worse than a simple stabbing," Rin mused darkly as she walked with Sumiko.

"Oh, is that so?" Sumiko mused.

"Yes, a simple stab wound will only bother me for a little while." It was true, Rin was relatively certain that she had some sort of healing factor, past experiences had taught her that much about herself. After all, it was the only way a mere human could've survived the assaults of the daiyōkai. And her lord couldn't always protect her, just as she could not always protect him.

"Simple! Rin, that wound punctured your lung, and aorta along with your left ventricle were all well shredded, that is no simple stab wound Rin, that's a fatality!" Sumiko snapped to her in words which flew right over her head but were the very words Kagome had often times used.

"Higuarshi Sumiko! I will have you know I have suffered far worse than a stabbing, I will be fine. I always am." Rin stated this firmly for she had to believe this even when she didn't. And right at this moment, well, she didn't she didn't believe for one moment she was going to be alright when she was trapped in this terrifying, noisy era, and alone. But again, she was very used to being alone, very used to taking care of herself, and accustomed to her life now. It wasn't a fun life but it was her life; and she had to believe she could and would be alright, and that Sesshomaru was coming for her. She just had too, even if it was a childish dream and belief.

"Alright fine, just get in the car before you rip your stitches Rin!" Sumiko sighed in defeat.

"What's a car?"

* * *

**Best news ever! My golden; Shaggy, is cancer free! The tail amputation, though it sucked for him, saved his life and he's now back to being his normal, happy, neurotic self. Best news I've had in forever!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	264. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 5

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Adapt:**_ To Make Fit (as for a new use) often by modification…_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

A car; well it was a horrid death trap!

After everything she had lived through Rin could honestly say that aside from the wolves hunting her; a car was the worst thing she had ever encountered in her entire life! Even more terrifying than her lord when his temper had him on a rampage! And that was something which truly terrified her to some degree. But Rin knew now what the form of true terror was. Cars! The horrid death contraptions which traveled as neck break speeds and zipped by one another so closely there was hardly any room to breathe. It was so terrifying Rin just wanted to leap out of the car and demand they walk as her heart pounded painfully in her ribs.

"Well, we're here, Rin!" Sumiko declared happily, Rin dove out of the car and nearly kissed the ground at finally getting out of that horrible contraption.

"Thank the Kami, I thought I was going to die!" Rin breathed as she sat on the ground.

"Oh, so a car ride terrifies you but a simple stab wound is nothing to worry about?" Sumiko mocked.

"I'll have you know that I've faced monsters less terrifying than that car ride! Also, humans are not supposed to travel that fast, or with that lack of concern for their surroundings! Battles are more organized than that!" Rin snapped as she got to her feet shakily. To her it was a feat all of it's own to be standing on her own two feet after that atrocity they dared to call travel.

"Uh-huh, now, Kagome is happy to be sharing her room with you, it is the middle of February and we can't have you running around the city to catch your death after that nasty stab wound, wouldn't you agree Rin?" Sumiko asked. Rin didn't respond as she lay on the frozen ground just trying to calm her racing heartbeat. Kami above was the way of traveling in this era terrifying! She'd rather be leaping off of a cliff to go flying than ever experience that again!

"Rin? Where'd you go Rin?" she heard Sumiko call.

"Nowhere," she called out as she carefully sat up and winced a bit at her wound moving that way. Tonight she was cauterizing this wound; they had had the audacity to stitch her up! The barbarians! Oh well, she could over look this era's ignorance on the matter.

"Oh, what are you doing on the ground?" Sumiko demanded in a motherly tone which made Rin think of Sango as she hastily got to her feet. Her black hair had white snow clinging to it as she shook her head.

"Recovering from that atrocity you dare to call traveling, if that was a car I am never riding in one again!" Rin snapped to her elder as she shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket and walked beside Sumiko who was laughing hysterically at her. Rin just rolled her eyes until they were walking by a tree, and then she stopped as she turned to stare at it. The cold wind sliced through her hair, slapped her cheeks, and burned her lungs as she breathed but her eyes couldn't be torn away from the first familiar thing she was seeing in this era.

The love, the affection, the memories, and the shattered dreams she had had all swirled into her mind as her tears froze in her eyes. The scar, bold and ominous and lively, marred the tree's bark. Rin's fingers reached up to trace it, smiling slightly at the familiar feel of the smooth wood beneath her fingers. This was where it all began, the tragic, misunderstood, painful end to Inuyasha's and Kikyo's love and the start of the lively, boisterous, adventurous love of Inuyasha and Kagome. It made her smile for she had met her lord beneath a tree once too, and though she had never revived him from a curse or willingly stood before a firing squad for him, she loved him with a ferocity which had brought her here.

"So this is where it all began," she mused softly as she turned to look at the house Kagome grew up in. She felt the smile gracing her lips as she felt the painful, freezing sting of her own tears.

"I love this tree, it always makes me feel at peace," Sumiko whispered beside her.

"Yes," Rin agreed as her fingers slid from the scar of the tree and she slipped back into her pocket.

"I've heard that this was the start of an epic love, and the end of a tragic on, but there are so many stories surrounding the scar of the tree, it's just something I find romantic and peaceful. Almost as if it were a part of me somehow, in another lifetime," Sumiko murmured.

"The love that marred the tree taught us love was fragile and real, the love which revived the tree was vital, vibrant and taught us about true love and faith, something the first never had. It was said that the love of a miko and a hanyō was tested and failed, a different miko and a hanyō's love was tested the second time and thrived, the first scarred the tree and the latter healed the tree. I don't know how much of that is true but I like to think it was true, it feels true in the depths of my heart and when Kagome says it's nothing but a stupid tree… well, something in me just knows that's not true," Sumiko continued. Rin looked at the elder woman and smiled mischievously.

"Anyway I'm babbling, let's have tea and we'll discuss what to do next," Sumiko called as she walked away.

Rin didn't say anything as she looked back to the scar of the tree, warmth filled her along with humor.

"I know you're not Bokusenō, and can tell no stories for me for the endless hours my lord left me for my own devices as a child. However, you hold the end of the saddest love story, and you have the beginning of the greatest love story ever, never forget that," she whispered to the tree softly and then she smiled a bit as jogged into the house then. Fuck, she thought as she felt her skin tear; her damn stitches had broken!

* * *

**You ever have those days where you have everything planned out and you know you can get all done and have time to spare to relax yourself or something? But then something comes and just blows it up on you?**

**Yeah, that was today for me.**

**Oh well.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	265. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 6

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**New:** _Newly Beginning or Recurring; Starting Anew; Now Commencing; Different From What Has Bess; as, A New Year; A New Course or Direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"So Rin, what are you going to do?" Sumiko as they sat at a huge table. Rin crossed her ankles as she accepted the tea Sumiko made.

"I don't know," Rin admitted as she sipped the tea. Sumiko took a seat across from her then.

"Well, it's mid-February and jobs are scarce at this moment, however if you would like to stay here at the Higurashi Shrine until you're healed and have a next move then we'll be pleased to let you stay here," Sumiko smiled. Rin smiled slightly as sipped the tea then.

"Alright, but I don't know what I can really do in this era," Rin admitted.

"What did you do when you were from?" Sumiko asked.

"I was a healer, and a fighter, my father was a farmer, my mother a weaver," Rin admitted truthfully. "Does this era still have farmers?" Rin asked.

"Yes," Sumiko admitted.

"Can I do that?" Rin asked.

"Rin, property is expensive, but I think we can find somewhere for you to go and work," Sumiko admitted reassuringly. Rin sighed.

"Alright, but until then, may I really stay here?" Rin questioned.

"Yes, and I would rather you stay here than be out on the street. Besides, I feel as if you should stay here," Sumiko insisted.

"Thank you, can I at least help out while I'm here?"

"Of course, though I won't have you over working yourself while you heal. When the weather stops being so strange we'll plan your next move, together." Rin looked to her cup as she sighed.

"No, I would like to know where the farms are, I am certain that at the vary least I'd be able to get a job on a farm as a farm hand or something, and something preferably north… of here, do you have a map?" Rin decided to ask.

"Of course we have a map," Sumiko said as if it were an insult to think there wouldn't be a map. Rin just shook her head, maps were a luxury when she was from. And most common people did not have maps, her lord however had always had an abundant supply of things for her to study, maps were something she often studied. And the place she met her lord, well, that was far north from Edo, and since she was at Higurashi Shrine she assumed she was where Edo once was.

"Thank you, I have idea of where I think I would like to go," Rin admitted softly.

"And where would that be?" Sumiko asked her in an amused tone of voice.

"Where everything began," she admitted honestly. She would go back to where everything began, where she had met her lord and followed him. She would not hesitate to follow him anywhere he had wanted, however, the place where she had met him was just as special to her as the this Shrine was to Kagome and Inuyasha. If she could not be with her lord, then she would wait for him where she had began her waiting. The place of her birth where she had first dreamt of her silver lover.

Besides, it wasn't as if she were pregnant or something and would have pups to worry about or to care for. Not that she didn't want pups, or a family of her own from her lord, but she knew that it was in her best interests if she did not have pups at this point. They'd be more of a burden than a blessing at this moment in her uncertain state of living. Rin looked down at her very flat, very slim form and sighed as she let go of her dreams of having pups. Again she shelved this dream, a ridiculous fantasy really, that she would have her lord's pups and live a life of love and happiness with him. It was a childish dream, she chided herself for even dreaming it as a child and then hoping for it to become a reality.

Her fate appeared to be separate from her lord's now and possibly even perminantly severed. A thought which had her feeling devastated inside.

"Are you alright Rin?"

"No, but I'll be fine with time," she assured her new friend. Smiling slightly as she looked out at the snowing world outside the window. Yes, perhaps not now, but in time she was certain she would be able to at least survive and be alive again. For now though, well, she'd just work on surviving and would pray for the best as she went about working on her life and getting by. She could get by, she always could get by.

"Well, if you say so, when you're ready I'll show you to the room you'll be sleeping in while you're here," the older woman informed her.

"Thank you again, I don't mean to be such an imposition on you or your family," she said softly. Her eyes narrowed as she saw a kitten stalk into the kitchen and then she smirked; perhaps she wasn't a cat person.

"You know Rin, you can stay here as long as you please."

"No," she whispered, "I actually can't stay here."

"It really isn't a problem, you seem to be a nice enough girl for seventeen and I would like you to stay, Kagome and Sōta like you, and my father-in-law also appears to like you; which is an impressive feat of itself because he's not overly fond of others," her new friend informed her.

"Sumiko, as much as I would like to stay, and as much as it would please me to stay, I can't. There are many reasons for which I cannot stay, and the main ones actually involve things I can't tell you. Besides, you'd want me gone soon enough, all I do is gather trouble. Something of which I am very good at." She smiled broadly then at some of her finer memories of her own anticts.

"Also, it's for the best if I don't stick around," she admitted softly. There was nothing more she needed to say about that because there was nothing else she wanted to say about it. Besides, the fates might blast her or something for hanging around Kagome before her own destiny could take place. The well needed Kagome, not her, now and she wouldn't interfere with that by hanging around.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	266. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 7

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**New:** _Newly Beginning or Recurring; Starting Anew; Now Commencing; Different From What Has Bess; as, A New Year; A New Course or Direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"Come on Rin," Sumiko motioned after they finished their tea. Rin tenderly moved, part of her was still aching from Sesshomaru's attentions to her body few days prior, they had only been apart for about a day before Takemaru's attack, and she was still very sore from Takemaru's attack on her. Following the older woman through the house she walked up the stairs.

"Stay out of my room Sōta!" a young Kagome shouted as a young boy stumbled out of a room and a door slammed shut. Rin sighed as she walked over to the young boy.

"Sōta, right?" Rin asked as she carefully moved to crouch to his eye level.

"Yeah," the boy mumbled.

"Wanna know a secret?" she whispered conspiratorially.

"What?" the boy brightened up. She smiled as she motioned for him to come closer to her as she cupped his ear and whispered softly in his ear.

"Your sister only says that because she needs you and loves you, also it's because she's a stubborn, loud person who expresses her love by being loud," Rin informed his softly. The boy was giggling as he stood up then. She smiled as she ruffled his hair and gingerly stood again. Her stab wound throbbed as she stood but she liked how the boy was smiling as she continued following Sumiko down the hall.

"Please excuse the mess, we haven't had any guests lately, or ever, but please, feel free to make yourself at home while you're here," Sumiko mused.

"Thank you again," Rin nodded as she smiled slightly then she was alone. Rin didn't say anything as she just fell onto the bed and fought off her tears and exhaustion at being in this new era again. She just wanted to go home, however it appeared that wasn't going to be happened any time soon. Before she knew it her eyes fluttered shut, taking a deep breath she fell into a deep slumber. One she had been craving to have for what felt like years.

The sound of something shattering had her sitting up and grabbing for Bakusaiga only for her to realize the faithful fang was not at her side. Silently Rin slipped from her room, crept through the dark house when she poked her head down the stairs and stared at the young girl grumbling in the dim light of the open white box as she was cleaning up glass. Sighing Rin rubbed her brow as she walked down the stairs then, so it appeared Kagome was forever clumsy, that was an annoying thought.

"Are you alright?" Rin yawned. Big blue eyes blinked up at her as she scratched her head again.

"You're bleeding!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Hm, so it appears I am," she replied dully when she looked down at the blood staining her shirt where her wound was. "But I'm alright, are you alright?" she repeated.

"Fine, just dropped a plate," Kagome replied.

"Uh-huh," Rin replied as she picked the child up from the shards on the ground before Kagome severed her finger or toe or foot trying to clean it up. Honestly the girl was hopeless, and people said she was the clumsy one… Rin shook her head as she set the girl in the arch way of the kitchen.

"I have to clean that up! Lemme go! Mom's going to kill me if I leave that mess for Sōta or Grandpa to step in!" Kagome wailed, Rin frowned.

"And Sumiko would have my head if I let a child lose her fingers or toes from her ignorance in dealing with her dangerous messes. Go to bed Kagome, I'll clean it up," Rin ordered coldly as she folded her arms over her wound. The little girl just stared up at her owlishly and she frowned in response. Foolish Kagome, again she was questioning her status; if she didn't happen to be human and Inuyasha's mate, Rin would've put her in her place as InuKimi had done to her many times. However, Kagome was human, and she was a child of about ten or eleven at this point, not that it mattered to Rin all that much.

"But"

"To bed Kagome!" Rin barked. The girl scurried away then as she clambered up the stairs then. Rin just shook her head as she turned her attention to the mess at her bare feet and sighed, foolish Kagome. Gingerly Rin bent over as she carefully gathered the larger shards to throw them away in what she assumed was the rubbish bin; it was full of other things which appeared to be garbage. Then she found a broom and a pan as she swept the shards up and pitched them.

Sitting on the balls of her feet she surveyed the floor in the dim light. Satisfied that there were no shards on the floor she stood, put the broom and pan away as she closed the cool white box then walked towards the stairs. Only Kagome, she thought grimly as she rubbed her now sticky wound. Going to the room she had been told was for cleaning herself and taking care of her needs Rin pulled the shirt over her head and examined her wound.

It was closing up nicely, at this rate it'd be fully gone in about two days, however, it was extremely irritating right now. Grumbling to herself she found a blade as she cut the stitches from her skin; she wasn't a kimono or something to be embroidered! She was a person, and this was no way to close a wound. Thinking this she found two clothes, folded and layered them as she then found what appeared to be a wrap and wrapped them over the clothes, around her ribs until she was satisfied with her bandage.

A slight feeling of wooziness over took her as she prepared to leave the wash room. Grabbing the counter she steadied herself as she focused on her breathing. Clutching her head she gritted her teeth as she held herself up and pressed her hand firmly on the wound which was healing on it's own. Once the wave of wooziness faded from her system she righted herself and quietly walked to the room she had been given.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	267. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 8

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**New:** _Newly Beginning or Recurring; Starting Anew; Now Commencing; Different From What Has Bess; as, A New Year; A New Course or Direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Rin woke the following morning to the birds out of her window; it sounded as if they were bickering and it made her smile as she looked at the snowy day. Carefully she sat up, it was still winter, she could taste it in the air, but she also nearing spring; perhaps in another cycle or cycle in a half. Rin rather liked the idea of spring coming to her. It would be a nice change of pace in her mind. Immediately Rin started braiding her hair as she got out of the bed and walked out of the room. Kami help her, she was in another new era and had no idea how to live in this one.

Oh well, she decided, she had lived in far worse eras, and this one was one she was certain she could survive; after she asked a lot of questions. With this in mind Rin crept down the stairs to follow the delicious smell wafting through the air, and she smiled at the sound of sizzling food.

"Morning," she chimed as she walked into the kitchen to see Sumiko working over the stove.

"Good Morning Rin! Kagome told me about the plate last night, said she broke it and you cleaned it up," Sumiko informed her.

"Yes, I did, and that's because I didn't want her accidently severing a finger, toe or her foot and being at fault for not helping out your daughter," Rin admitted as she took her seat then and looked Sumiko.

"That was very kind of you, especially since she knows she's not supposed to be rummaging in the kitchen after her bed time; honestly that child is ravenous," Sumiko shook her head and Rin grinned as she remember Kagome's odd pregnancy cravings. The miko had been in tears for not having her pickles and ice cream; whatever the hell that was! Rin had given Kagome pickled plums instead; only for a very angry miko to be screaming 'sit' at the top of her lungs (poor Inuyasha! (Sesshomaru and she on the other had were actually laughing once they were away from Edo and yes, her lord was laughing, she had heard it!)).

"The oddities of a young women," Rin shrugged. She, herself, had the strange cravings for certain foods on her monthlies and would cry when she couldn't get them.

"I know, and I hope she realizes she's never gone hungry a day in her life so there is no reason for her to be stealing midnight snacks, and when she's pregnant I hope she realizes how good she has had it here," Sumiko grumbled.

"Oh, I think she'll understand, I really do; I just pity the poor bastard married to her when she's pregnant," Rin mused as she sipped the tea before her.

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Yep, she seems like the dramatic, emotional type of girl, and she'll be very… loud," Rin mused. She only regretted not being around to help Kagome give birth to her pup, after all she had broken that promise. However, any promises she made to Kagome were superceded by her commitment and love to her lord, and he would always mean more to her than anyone else in her life.

"Hmm, probably," Sumiko mused. "But I think she will be a wonderful mother when the time comes for her to be a mother."

"I am certain she will be a wonderful mother," Rin admitted as she started eating the breakfast before her. However, she also knew what a wonderful woman Kagome grew up to be, an exuberant one but a wonderful woman all the same.

"Thank you for that," Sumiko admitted.

"There is nothing to thank me for, it's merely a truth. Thank you for the meal," Rin said between mouthfuls of food and then she looked out the window at the snowy world. "Where are Kagome and Sōta?"

"School," Sumiko informed her. Now Rin was snickering as she remembered some of Kagome's nightmares involving numbers and math; whatever that was. So that was the source of many of Rin's amusements in regards to Kagome's many nightmares.

"Ah, very important to learn," Rin mused.

"It is, and how about you Rin? You'll be eighteen come March, will you attend school?" Sumiko asked her honestly and Rin sighed as she looked down to her lap.

"No, no, I think I will live a quiet and simple life rather than be wrapped up in the calamity of school and universities that my friend spoke of. It is not where I belong," Rin admitted as she looked up to Sumiko. "I've never been a very studious girl anyways, drove my tutors insane with my lack of learning."

"Oh?"

"Yes, why even his mother couldn't stand having to teach me my history lessons, I slept through them. No, no I think school is not a place for someone like me."

"And where is a place for you?" Sumiko asked inquisitively.

"I belonged in the thick of battle, in the middle of blood, pain and the dying, I belong beside my lord, I belong to the wilds of this world; I will never belong in a school or in a civilized society," Rin admitted. "However, I feel that where I belong is now a thing of the past, is it not?"

"Yes, a very distant past, Rin," Sumiko murmured sadly.

"Then I shall belong in the fields, I will be a farmer, I was born a farmer's daughter after all," Rin shrugged. She wasn't completely useless or incompetent at that, making plants grow was something she had always been surprisingly good at. Why, even Kaede had praised her abilities in making even the most sickly of plants grow up strong and fruitful. Yes, farming was what she would do, she was certain she'd be fine at that. She had her father's way with the plants and the earth, she always had. In a way she was connected to the earth, her father had once explained to her that he too was a part of the earth and that was why he liked his feet bare, connecting him to the land and world in a way. Rin had never forgotten that lesson, and even though her lord and no one else really, understood this about her, she preferred to be barefoot to feel connected to the world.

It was always through this connection she had through the earth that she had always been able to find her lord. Strange as it seemed, Rin liked being connected to the earth.

"Alright, then we'll figure it out," Sumiko decided softly.

"Thank you," Rin nodded slightly with a smile.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	268. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 9

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**New:** _Newly Beginning or Recurring; Starting Anew; Now Commencing; Different From What Has Bess; as, A New Year; A New Course or Direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

"So, where's the shed where you found me?" Rin asked as she finished her breakfast and remembered the hairpin her lord had presented to her the day of the attack. It was the only thing the hospital hadn't given back, and when she had asked about it they had said she hadn't had one on her. Which was impossible because she remembered it being in her hair as her lord let her fall down the well again. And since she didn't have her lord with her at this moment, she wanted that damn hairpin.

"Over there, why?" Sumiko asked as she pointed to the shed just outside the kitchen window.

"I think I might've lost something there, may I have a look?" Rin asked as she brought her dishes over to the water the woman was using to clean them.

"Certainly, you don't need to ask permission Rin," Sumiko chuckled.

"Thank you," Rin smiled as she walked out of the kitchen to the front door.

The snow looked cold, but Rin reminded herself that the cold was not something she really had to worry about as she grabbed a jacket and jogged out of the warm house over to the shed with her bare feet hitting the snow. Yanking open the door she hurried in as she slammed the door shut then and sighed as she saw her breath. Damn winter, Rin thought as she shucked of the heavy material of the jacket and descended the stairs towards the well.

The braid she had felt constricting then as she ran her fingers through her heavy hair and shook it loose from it's confines. The black swayed to just past her hips as she stood at the lip of the well, her toes curling in the warm soil of the shed surrounding the well. Her hands rested on the aged, smooth, familiar wood of the well as she peered down into the darkness for what she sought. However, she didn't see it. Tentatively she stepped up on the ledge as she peered down,

Hopefully, she prayed, please send me home, or leave me here, please don't send me elsewhere, she prayed as she shut her eyes and took in a deep shaky breath. For a moment she'd have sworn to hearing a malicious chuckle and feeling a warm, comforting breeze with the scent of the sakura on it wafting up through the well. However, there was nothing and she knew it as she stepped off the lip of the well.

And for a moment she was weightless.

A grunt escaped her lips as her bare feet hit the bottom of the well for the first time, and her eyes opened as she looked up. The dim light of the shed was still there, and no bright light of the sun filtered through. Sighing Rin stood up gingerly. Her wound was pulsing with and ache and she sighed as she leaned back on the wall of the well.

So it hadn't worked, she was meant to stay in this era. The thought was not comforting to her as again that wooziness crashed through her. One of her hands rested on her churning stomach as she shoved her messy bangs from her brow to cool off. Kami-sama, she was five hundred years into the future! The thought was terrifying since this the winter of 2008, the years Kagome was from. and now she felt like she was going to be sick, her hand clasped over her mouth as she fought her churning stomach and sunk to the dark ground again. She was here to stay, and there was no way she was going to let that thought alone topple her over into the abyss of despair she had been ignoring for the past…two years? Had it really been that long?

Choking back the acid in her throat her fingers began to skim through the soil of the well in search for that slim pin. Rin gasped as she felt it stab her finger, yanking her finger up into her mouth she sucked the minimal blood as she picked up the pin and stared at it in the dim light of the shed. So it was alright, the thought was a relief she hadn't thought she needed as she stood and slipped it into a twist of her own swept up black hair.

There, that was found, which was a relief, now to get out of the well. With this in mind Rin reached up to start her normal climb when the greenish glow on her left hand caught her attention. Slowly Rin brought her left hand down, there was a powerful tingling in it as if her limb were coming to life again after falling asleep, but it was a much more intense senation of pins and needles stabbing her nerves as that green glow grew brighter.

She grasped, partially in fear and partially in pain as she stumbled back into the wall of the well. A part of her wanted to scream, but she just clenched her teeth as she closed her glowing left hand in a fist. But instead of making a fist her fingers wrapped around what felt like a familiar hilt of a fang. Her eyes snapped open as she stared at the now elongating green glow which surged from her arm, through her hand and up as the fang materialized right before her eyes.

"Bakusaiga," she whispered as the glow receded and she grabbed the sheath to pull the fang free and stared at the midnight stained steel of the fang, it was mesmerizing, and it looked suspiciously of the Medio Zangetsuha; it stole her breath with it's lethal beauty as she stared at the blade.

_Mama?_ her eyes snapped up and now she screamed as she stumbled back into the corner of the well, dropping the fang in the process. Now, Rin had never really been a big believer in ghosts, and now she was looking at what appeared to be a glowing, greenish ghost of her lord as a pup and her heart was slamming mercilessly in her ribs at the mere sight of the phantom pup.

_Ow! Why'd you drop me!?_ The boy groaned as he rubbed his head.

"Huh?" Rin looked at the discarded ivory and ebony fang then at the boy.

_That hurt, you know!_ The pup snapped at her.

"And you are?" Rin questioned hesitantly.

_I'm Bakusaiga, I'm your son_, the phantom answered and again Rin blinked. She felt faint now.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	269. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 10

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**New:** _Newly Beginning or Recurring; Starting Anew; Now Commencing; Different From What Has Bess; as, A New Year; A New Course or Direction…_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"B-B-B-Bak-Bakusaiga?" Rin stuttered out as she sat on the ground as she stared dumbfounded at the floating phantom of the yōkai boy. He looked like Sesshomaru, and past the green tinted glow around him were the same colors she associated with her lord. Those cold gold eyes, those markings, the ruffled silver hair, a mokomoko on one shoulder, a lean build like his father, and he looked about twelve.

"Alright, I hit my head and didn't know it, I'm hallucinating. Damn healers of this era gave me the wrong medicine," Rin decided as she stood up and waved her hand through the glowing phantom before her.

_Will you stop that! It tickles!_ The pup yelped out and she blinked.

"So you're real," Rin decided dumbly.

_Yup, you and Papa had the same reactions you know, though he didn't rudely run me through with his hand._ The pup gave her an icy glare which belonged to Sesshomaru.

"Alright, now I believe you're Sesshomaru's pup. Only he glares like that, but I'm not your mama, I've never gave birth to a… fang," Rin said pointedly as she stared at the fang on the ground.

_No, but you made me, papa summoned me_, the pup said happily.

"Ah," Rin just nodded as she thought about this dumbly. Rubbing her brow she leaned on the wall, this was a bad day, and now there was… this. She did not have the energy to deal with any more surprises. "So, Bakusaiga, where's Sesshomaru?"

_Dunno, out of country? I glowed green about 2000 and disappeared in papa's hand. What year is it?_ The phantom asked her.

"2008," she admitted; though that year was an odd year to say for her when she had never been particularly good at paying attention to the years coming and going.

_Oh, wow and just yesterday it was 2000. You know, you look prettier than everyone says_, the pup informed her.

"Wonderful, so you don't know where your father is?" Rin clarified.

_Nope,_ the pup shook his head. She just sighed and then she smiled softly at him.

"Alright, Bakusiaga, I have a deal for you. Can you… disappear? … when others are around? And we'll talk when others aren't around about this situation your loving father has gotten us into," Rin said softly.

_Sure, just don't drop me again, that hurts!_ The pup informed her sharply.

"Not a problem, by the way, are you twelve or something?" she asked as she sheathed the fang again.

_I guess? I don't really age. Love you Mama!_ The pup chirped and then he was gone in a flash of green.

"Love you Bakusaiga," she whispered as she held a firm grip on the fang and she shook her head as she started climbing out of the well. So the fact that Bakusaiga had a phantom form was something she was going to have to start getting used to. However, she had dealt with far stranger things in life so she could get used to a pup who claimed to be hers'. It wasn't as if strangeness wasn't normal for her. Poking her head out of the well she propped Bakusaiga on the outside wall of the well and then she pulled herself out, swinging her legs over the lip of the well she thought about her next course of action.

She was going to seal the well.

Yep, that sounded like a wonderful plan! And with that in mind she began looking around the shed. She found odds and ends here, which wasn't that strange if she considered the fact that this was a storage shed. Rummaging about she found two huge planks of wood which would cover well. She also found a leather bound book with pressed flowers in it; which would be of use as she picked up a bit of paper. There were nails scattered about in the back corner which had her smiling and then she walked back down to where the well was.

A rock was going to be a perfect hammer for what she was going to do with the well.

With all of the things she needed Rin got to work on sealing up this well.

_Mama? What are you doing?_ She looked over her shoulder as she then returned to her work. The glowing pup was peering over her shoulder.

"I am sealing this well up so no other idiot aside from your… aunt? … Kagome falls into the blasted thing and not screw up time any more than I've already messed it up." It felt weird to think of Kagome as an aunt, or any responsible guardian other than mother. Rin dreaded to think what kind of overbearing aunt Kagome would be.

_Papa also says aunt Kagome's a bit of an idiot_, Bakusaiga informed her.

She chuckled.

"He would, anyways, I'm working here, so unless you can help…" she paused when the pup appeared before her holding nails.

_If it isn't human, yōkai, or hanyō I can touch it, hold it, carry it, but I can't touch living things, they just go through me_, the pup sounded lonely then.

"Well, I'm certain your father loves you, and I love you as well so there is no reason to feel lonely about not touching," Rin said as she took the offered nails as she worked.

_Papa said the same thing, not in so many words though,_ the pup informed her.

"Sesshomaru is not a talker. But it appears you are," she mused.

_Not really, but I like talking to you_, Bakusaiga informed her happily.

"I like talking to you too," Rin admitted as she finished sealing up the well. Opening the leather book of flowers then, she only needed two flowers to get her message across, for if her lord ever came to the well then he would know she had been here.

_What are you doing now?_ Bakusaiga asked her.

"Suitopi, for goodbye, goodbye to my past, and the times I cannot return to. And Buruberu for gratitude, gratitude for coming here, for surviving my past life, and gratitude for meeting my lord. And a Shiro Tsubaki for waiting, because I am waiting for him again, waiting for him to find me, and waiting to reunite with him." Rin explained.

_Oh, here's the tape for the flowers_, Bakusaiga said.

"Ah, so you know about this era's things, perfect you're going to be helping me out from now on."

_Hn._ Was his response which had her laughing as she finished taping the flowers to the now covered well.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	270. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 11

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Passing:** _Relating to the Act of __**Passing**__ or Goring; Going By, Beyond, Through, or Away; Departing…_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

The month of February; as the modern era called it slipped by quickly. Already Rin could taste the coming spring, another cycle at the most, but the world was warming up. Surprisingly Rin found herself falling in love with the modern era; all of the little conveniences which made life simpler and slightly more complicated in her mind. However, there was no way she could complain about indoor plumbing; it was so divine and wonderful she had been fascinated with it; the refrigerator was brilliant, food shortage was clearly not a worry of the modern era; and the updated stove and oven, ingenious really, now she didn't have to worry about gathering wood for fires, they started on their own. The 'music' of this era was loud, expressive, diverse and fun in her mind; she loved that a lot, all that variety.

But there were things here which had taken some getting used to. One, the talking box, it was called a television, and it kept everyone apprised of the going ons in the world, also it provided entertainment; also they broke easily and were by no means cheap. The microwave, it's timing and beeping irked her, also, the inside of it was flammable when aluminum foil was put in it; no that had been a nightmare; also very expensive… that had not been fun. And there were other conveniences which irked her but thrilled her too.

There were things from Bakusaiga she learnt which were very important, her son seemed very knowledgeable about this world though he could not go about exploring it since certain laws were passed. It made her uneasy that these laws prevented her from taking the fang with her everywhere for defense, almost like she was naked.

And that lead her to the other note to self, she was never ever clothes shopping with Kagome again; regardless of age. The girl had dared to laugh and call her flat for her lack of breasts; at eighteen or seventeen and she was only an A cup. Now, that had always been a sore spot of hers', her lack of cleavage, curves and femininity was something which annoyed the hell out of her when girls like Kagome and Sango were built like goddess made to make men drool. The only male she had ever had drooling over her was Kohaku, and that she was pretty certain only because he couldn't have her. And though Sesshomaru had never seemed to mind her lack of a robust figure, in fact he had seemed to love it either way; it was a sore spot for her.

However, just because her cup size for the bras was an A did not mean she was flat!

But, oh, had that infuriated her, and it was only made worse by the fact that Kagome was apparently an early bloomer and already in a B cup. Rin had been seething after making her purchases and leaving the store with a laughing eleven year old. Life was not fair, she decided, Rin was a late bloomer and when she had bloomed it wasn't very much, honestly it was infuriating. But somehow unsurprising in her mind. Rin wished Kagome wasn't such and expressive young girl, but it appeared that none of her wishes were to ever be answered.

Aside from shopping for clothes in this era, Rin found everything else to be convenient in terms of shopping. Everything was specialized and though it was spread out in an area, it was all in one area, not like her era where one could travel to five villages before finding that specific item they needed.

Which lead her to tonight, on this fine March night, March 6th to be precise, she was holding Sōta's hand and Kagome held his other hand as they walked to the convenience store at night for milk. It wasn't that big of a deal, Sumiko was ill, and Ichirō asleep. Rin had offered to take the kids to the store with her, Sumiko had been grateful for the break which was why at the fine hour of twenty-two hours they were standing here at the cross walk waiting on the light.

Sōta was humming, Kagome looked bored, and Rin was watching the terrifying blur of cars (something of which she was still trying to and failing to get used to), and a part of her yearned to have Bakusaiga with her right now rather than having the fang hidden beneath her pillows and confining the phantom form of her son to her room. Kami did she love that pup, he was so much like Sesshomaru that it made her ridiculously proud and happy of her own self-proclaimed son.

"Alright, let's go quickly now!" Rin ordered when the light changed colors for them to walk. She scooped up Sōta and snatched Kagome's hand as they hurried to the store. It was a busy night and she would not be the one to lose Higurashi's children, not when Sumiko had entrusted them to her care. Rin would not let Sumiko or Kagome; despite her being a complete and utter brat at this age, down.

"No need to run! Mikadzuki stop it!" Kagome shouted.

"No, now let's go, I do not want to be mauled by thugs," Rin grumbled. According to the television there was a gang of thugs in the area who were mugging (mauling was what she equated it to) people for no reason and robbing convenience stores. Also, the one called ketsueki bureido; who investigators were convinced was the man who had stabbed her (and she wasn't changing their minds about it either); was at large in this area. As the temporary protector of Kagome and Sōta she would permit nothing to happen to these two, even if she wanted to throttle Kagome at this moment.

"Come on Rin! There's nothing here!" Kagome argued. Rin yanked the girl in front of her then, Kagome was about her size if a bit taller at this moment as her eyes narrowed on the blue eyes of Kagome threateningly.

"Now you listen to me young lady, there are threats in this world of which your ignorance will attract, and I will not be mauled because you want to stroll through the village as if there is nothing to be wary of here, I am not dying in this era before I have a chance to even my score because of your ignorance. Is this understood?" Rin demanded harshly.

"Y-y-yes!" Kagome squeaked.

"Good, now stop your whining and let's go, I want to return to the shrine within the hour!" Rin stated as she started marching, and dragging Kagome along with her. As she had thought earlier, spoiled brat! It was a good thing the era she was from, a few near death experiences, and Inuyasha had knocked some sense into Kagome, if she had been like this when Rin had first met her, Rin would not have been so tolerant or kind.

Rin glanced over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing on the shadows as she looked around, her ears straining. She couldn't shake this feeling that she and the children were being stalked, however there was nothing there when she looked behind her as she continued forward.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	271. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 12

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Passing:** _Relating to the Act of __**Passing**__ or Goring; Going By, Beyond, Through, or Away; Departing…_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

Walking into convenience store after a few more minutes of walking Rin set Sōta down and held his hand as Kagome sauntered off; it appeared she never really changed after all. Rin just shook her head as she and the toddler holding her hand walked towards the milk because they needed it for the cereal he wanted right now. Rin absently listened to the playing television which was playing the news at the moment.

'…_And as you can see here the police are standing over another victim of the ketsueki bureido, who remains at large. Apparently the only surviving victim of this vicious serial killer cannot identify the perpetrator who hanks his victims apart with a katana blade. Young women are advised not to be wandering around at night alone in the city while ketsueki bureido is still at large. In other news, neighborhood violence is on a rise as yet another late night convenience store was robbed by three young youths in masks at gun point, they have yet to be caught…_'

"What's a serial killer, Rin?" Sōta asked her as she pulled the milk out of the fridge.

"Dunno, it's nothing to worry about though Sōta. I doubt he is as dangerous as me," Rin shrugged as she picked up the toddler with the milk. "Kagome, let's go, best to not keep your mother waiting."

"You're so boring Rin," Kagome whined.

"Don't particularly care young lady, let's be off," Rin ordered as she set the milk on the counter and then with Sōta as she pulled out the money Sumiko had given her to pay for the milk.

"Rin you're a boring stick in the mud!" Kagome declared loudly.

"Higurashi Kagome, I do not care if I am the most boring woman in the world of the living I am leaving for the shrine and you are coming with me or so help me I will kick you all the way to China and make no mistake about it young lady it will hurt!" Rin snapped. The eleven year old glowered at her but Rin's glare was a force to be reckoned with; after all, she was Sesshomaru-sama's Rin. And she was a force to be feared, Kagome would understand that Rin was no light weight push over like Kaede had always been, the girl would understand she was no alpha female in the pack.

"You can't do anything to me! My mother would have your head!" Kagome snapped back at her as she stomped up to the counter.

"Do you think I care if your mother has my head when you are safe?" Rin demanded.

"Well it's not like anything happens here anyway," Kagome grumbled, Rin just sighed as she paid; just then the door chimed and Rin looked up.

"Ah, and what do we have here boys?" a masked man asked the two thugs behind him as he pointed something black and metal at her.

"A lovely nanny and her charges," one replied.

"A ripe ass for the picking; wonder how tight she'll be," the other mused as they chuckled.

"What do you want?" Rin demanded sharply as she stood up straighter, she had noticed the way the clerk cowered and figured that this was the thugs the television had spoken of that were robbing the convenience stores in the area. Rin's eyes narrowed dangerously then on the black barrel leveled at her chest with a clear threat she didn't understand. Only with Kagome would this kind of trouble come her way. Rin just stood her ground as she folded her arms, held her head up high and saw the way the clerk grabbed Sōta and Kagome was on the ground.

"Isn't it obvious? We're here to rob the place, and maybe dance with you," the leader said seductively as the black thing in his hand trace her jawline. Rin didn't flinch as her eyes bore into the onyx eyes of the man before.

"So you are bandits, of this era? Raping, pillaging, and thieving as you please?" Rin asked.

The men snickered. She took that as yes then.

"Boy are you some dumb bitch, yeah, we're bandits, and there ain't nothing you can do about it," the leader informed her with a laughing leer. Rin just tilted her head as she pondered this.

"Yes, I am a bitch, the compliment would normally be a good thing. However, I do not tolerate bandits, and you do not scare me with your intimidation. I've met far scarier men, now leave here and nothing bad will happen to you. However, if you insist upon stealing from this establishment and raping innocent women you will have my wrath to contend with," Rin warned as she swatted the leader's hand from her face.

"Boss! She can't talk to us like that!" one of the men behind him shrieked.

"No you see, you are wrong there, I can speak to vermin like you however I please." She corrected as she looked the other two over, they were bigger than their leader; clearly they were muscle rather than the brains of this little operation.

"Just who the hell do you think you are!?" another lackey demanded as she noticed him leveling the black thing in his hand at the clerk who was holding Sōta in his arms as Kagome cowered behind her. It was clear it was a weapon and it was something they feared, but Rin didn't understand what kind of strange weapon it was; not that it mattered. Fear was simply something she ignored, and right now she was ignoring the fear she felt when confronting these bandits.

Her lips curved into a malicious smile as she did what she did in every fight to hide her fears.

"I am my lord's Rin, and you are not robbing or killing these people," Rin stated it coldly.

"That's what you think! Bitch!" the man shouted, she slammed her open palm precisely on his wind pipe and sent him to the ground.

"Next?" she asked.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	272. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 13

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Passing:** _Relating to the Act of __**Passing**__ or Goring; Going By, Beyond, Through, or Away; Departing…_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

She went low, low was her advantage for she was always small, there was a crack of thunder and she felt something slice through the air by her head but he was too slow. Her hand caught his wrist, she twisted his arm, spun in, yanked his upward turned arm down as hard as she could and heard the scream of agony as she slammed her heel on his instep, her elbow to his gut, he came over her shoulder, she released his wrist and smashed her fist into his nose as he came slumping down.

"Fuck!" she heard a click, and looked at the black hole aimed at her, she moved as she shoved the falling man's weight into the other man. Another clap of thunder, and she felt a burning slash on the side of her ribs as Rin dove for cover when shit started exploding on the shelf and she saw a small hole smash the glass.

She snarled, she knew this weapon, but it appeared that five hundred years had vastly improved it and it's lethal intent. Her dark eyes slid up, there was a mirror and she saw the man trembling as he came after her. Silence was her ultimate weapon as she moved her body around the shelf. Her eyes landed on the pole of a broom and she looked over to where Kagome and Sōta were shoved under the counter with a trembling clerk.

Rin pressed a single finger to her lips at them, the clerk nodded and she looked at the mirror again as she heard feet squeaking on the floor. She moved then, darting lowly for the broom pole; a weapon. Her hands grabbed it.

"Got you!" something pressed into her back and she spun around, her leg slammed into her opponent's hip sending him stumbling to the side as she came around with the broom pole in hand and smashed it into his arm. There was a scream with the sickening crack and she pulled the pole back over her shoulder as she stood there snarling and swung again. The man smashed into one of the cool glass containers and she dropped the pole as she maneuvered herself up on the shelves seeing the brains of the operations moving.

She landed on his hand which was reaching for his discarded weapon and leaned down as she grabbed his hair and held his wheezy face up to see her then.

"You know the difference between bad people and dangerous people?" she whispered softly. The fear in his eyes told her he had learned the difference just now. And an evil smile spread on her lips as she leaned over to his ear. "The difference is, I'm actually bad and not just a bitch," she whispered and slammed his head into the ground with a resounding thud as she stood up again. The three men were broken around the store as she walked over to the clerk who was covering the kids in his grasp.

"How do we contact the authorities?" Rin asked him softly as she helped his trembling body up.

"Oh, I'll call the police," the clerk said said as she held him up and then lifted up the kids from the floor.

"Sorry about your shop," she said as she checked over the children. The man was on his phone thing and talking into the phone then and he gave her a soft smile.

"Young lady, those three hoodlums have torched stores, they broke glass this time and you and these kids are safe, that's all that matters," the older man assured her as he began speaking into the phone.

"Rin, you're bleeding," Sōta informed her as he pressed the burning wound on her ribs.

"I know," she sighed and then she lifted her arm to examine the damage. It burned like a son of a bitch, but as she lifted her shirt and examined it she noted it was superficial; a lot of bleeding but shallow and pretty much harmless to her real health. All she'd need to do was seal it and keep it clean to be fine, other than that, she'd be fine.

"Oh, did you get shot young lady?" the older man asked.

"No, just scratched," she answered as she lowered her shirt then. Damnit. She was not staying in this city, not if it was this lively, she'd never have a moment of peace. Rin clutched the counter though as her head suddenly felt light as a cloud.

"You alright Rin?" Sōta asked her.

"Yeah, just the end of a battle rush," she lied; that hadn't even been a thrilling battle. Just tiring for some reason; perhaps she was falling out of shape. Rin didn't like that thought as she ran her fingers through her hair and heaved a deep breath to calm her nerves and her body. A man groaned and she stood up from the counter as she stalked over to the moan. He lifted his head, she pulled her fist back and fast as lightning she knocked him out before returning to the counter.

"Yes, send the ambulance… no, the men are going to need it though… yes, we'll be here when you get here." the older man hung up the phone. "How'd you do that young lady?"

"Do what?" she asked.

"This," he gestured to the three men.

"Oh, that… well, they're poorly trained and the world I live in is kill or be killed so they were really nothing but a nuisance in terms of fighters. I've fought and wasted much more dangerous," Rin waved off. She just needed to remember the battle with a dragon, or all the yōkai she'd faced, or blowing up Xui's palace… yes, these three were nothing in the grand scheme of things.

"You've fought better?"

"Better, meaner, crueler, and honestly, bigger, these were nothing compared to what I was trained to take," Rin said with a sweet smile as her head fell back and she sighed. Kami did she ever hate humans.

"Well, thank you for staying to speak to the police," the old man smiled. She groaned, great.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	273. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 14

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Passing:** _Relating to the Act of __**Passing**__ or Goring; Going By, Beyond, Through, or Away; Departing…_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Rin sat there as the cops interrogated her over the events of the store when she finally was able to walk away from this all.

Making it back to the Higurashi shrine she stumbled up to her bed, and barely made it in the door when she bolted and ran right to the restroom where the toilet. Throwing up everything that was in her stomach she gasped as she held herself up.

_You alright Mama?_

She huffed as she looked over her shoulder at him and held her own hair back.

"Fine," she breathed.

_Are you sure, Papa says you were rarely ill._

"Well, this happens occasionally because I'm human," she admitted as she wiped her mouth and sat up at the moment as she gently ran her fingers through her hair. There was a problem with her, she could feel it but she didn't know what it was as she rubbed her brow. She didn't like being ill, she didn't like being ill. Never had, and it didn't feel like a normal bout of illness as she looked at the toilet and rubbed her stomach. There was a pressure in her, low in her, and it was strong as she sat there and wondered what this was.

It felt like Sesshomaru's energy was… within?... her.

Her eyes snapped open as she stared at the toilet and rubbed her lower stomach.

For most of her life, all of her memorable life, she had been surrounded by Sesshomaru's yōkai energy. She knew it so well that she could ignore it, tune it out, it was just a part of her life. She loved it, and she loved feeling it around her even if she forgot what it felt like often times. She was just loved feeling his yōkai energy, even if she didn't always remember it being around her.

Sitting back Rin blinked as her hand rested on her uneasy stomach and she thought about what had happened for this feeling, this power to be in her.

The night in the cave, the night on the beach…

The memories flashed through her mind then and she looked at her stomache where she felt Sesshomaru's power in her and she smiled then. She looked to her first pup, the fang and she smiled.

"Bakusaiga," she smiled.

_Yes Mama?_

"How do you feel about moving?" she sighed.

_So long as I'm with you Mama. Where are we going?_

"I'm thinking somewhere only the lost can find," she admitted.

_Alright_, Bakusaiga chirped and she continued smiling as she rubbed her stomach. She had a feeling that this was what they needed to do to go where Sesshomaru would find them. It was that thought which got her hopes up that there hadn't been a mistake in what time she had landed in.

Are you feeling alright?

"I'll tell you when I figure that out, I needed a map," she decided as she carefully got to her unsteady feet. They slipped down the stairs and moved through the house. Bakusaiga slipped through the cupboards looking for what she needed. Rin sat at the table for a moment as her world spun around.

Well, if she was truly pregnant, like she thought she was, she was going to have to get used to the dizzy feelings, the vomiting, and the other things that were going to her from being pregnant. There was probably going to be other sensations, she knew she was pregnant with a diayokai's pup; if she was pregnant, there were going to be other symptoms from this pregnancy. Rin wasn't entirely certain what, she had only really encountered and dealt with human and hanyō birthings.

Some minor yōkai as well, but no one she knew had ever been impregnated by a daiyōkai.

Well, unless one counted Izayoi, but if her math was correct then that was seven hundred years behind her. However, the mathematics Kagome had forced upon her had never been her favorite thing to learn.

_Here, where we going Mama?_

The map was placed before her then. Rin's eyes scanned over the well known geography of the area, she had long since learn how to read maps, she knew everything expected of her to learn from her time with InuKimi and her lord's travels.

"Here, we'll go here," she whispered as she pointed to the well-known location of her ancient home. It was probably different, and Rin was not surprised as she opened up the Internet thing and looked through it at the location.

Reading hadn't changed all that much, and though she was a bit out of practice reading.

She smiled as she read over the work in the area of her old village was still primarily farming, and it was mostly forest as well.

_What's there?_

"That's our new start," Rin whispered and rubbed her lower abdomen. She winced at the unsettling churn of her stomach. Sighing she closed her eyes as she rubbed her stomach and temples.

_What is it though?_

"The old name that you might know is Ushinawareta-ka," she whispered as she circled the area on the map and continued her planning as to what she needed to talk to with Higurashi Sumiko. She would need some funds, she would need to leave, and she would need to plan what she was doing.

She was going to be a farmer, she had been a farmer's daughter, raised to be a warrior and a medic, she was a noble yōkai. But she was also a farmer's daughter and she was certain that she would be able to make a decent living farming. She had vague memories of her family being decent farmers.

Her first life was very… vague, the memories were murky and didn't mean much to her as she sat there looking at the map.

Her human lives before her third were very… washed out. Though her second life was stronger in her memory than the first.

But still she remembered her first life with fondness but the reality of knowing what she had once been and her brothers, father, and mother. Remembering that had saved her once.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	274. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 15

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Passing:** _Relating to the Act of __**Passing**__ or Goring; Going By, Beyond, Through, or Away; Departing…_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

Rin looked up that morning when Higurashi Sumiko walked into the kitchen looking exhausted and Rin took a deep breath.

"Morning Rin," Sumiko yawned.

"Good morning Sumiko, I need to talk to you," Rin said calmly and Sumiko looked over to her.

"What about?"

"About leaving," Rin finally admitted her fingers were warmed by the tea she had made a few minutes earlier, before Sumiko had entered.

"You don't need to leave Rin, if this is about last night then know…"

"It's kind of about last night, but it's not, just hear me out," Rin said. Sumiko sat then. "When I come from there isn't all… this." She gestured. "And I don't belong here, and we both know it. I'm thinking of heading out to the country to be a farmer, that couldn't have changed all that much over the years, but I wanted you to know I'm leaving."

"Is this about Kagome?" Sumiko asked suddenly. Rin looked at the spitting image of an older Sango and she sighed.

"Partially, but it's not for the reasons you think."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, when I'm from your daughter is a dear friend of mine, but she's… well, she's older."

"Rin… I…" Sumiko sighed then. "She's special, I knew that when they handed her to me in the hospital, she had this little… light in her, that I could see and she was so precious, but… I knew, I knew she'd… well, she's destined for something. I know that's crazy, but no crazier than you popping up out of a well from the past."

"Higurashi Kagome is the incarnation of a powerful priestess named Kikyo, that light you saw when she was born… it's a very special jewel called the Shikon no Tama, and it's very powerful." Rin clarified.

"You can tell me, Rin, I won't think you're crazy and I will never tell a soul about whatever you tell me," Sumiko said suddenly.

Rin sighed as she drew up her leg and rested her chin on her knee.

"My story is not the one I shall tell you, for my story is not complete," she admitted soulfully. "However, your daughter's fate is sealed. Her story though starts in her previous life as a miko named Kikyo, who had a younger sister named Kaede. Kikyo fell in love with a inu hanyō named Inuyasha…"

And Rin spent the next hours telling Sumiko everything Inuyasha and Kagome had told her over her life, she even told Sumiko about after Kagome returned and what life was like. Sumiko laughed, she cried and when Rin finally ran out of things to tell the mother Sumiko sighed.

"She will live," Sumiko murmured.

"She lives," Rin agreed with a smile. She loved Kagome like a sister; even if Kagome could annoy the hell out of her and Rin want to whack her over the head with a pan half the time to get a little common sense in Kagome's thick head.

"And what about you Rin?"

"What about me?"

"Where do you come into this tale?" Sumiko asked desperately.

"If you're thinking I look after her when she's there then you're really going to be disappointed. I'm a child, I traveled with my lord, A-Un and Jaken until Kaede took me it. When Kagome returned permanently then she is like my older sister, but I do not look after her, ever."

"Thank you Rin, for telling me," Sumiko whispered with her eyes bright with tears.

"None of that now, I have no doubts that she'll come back to you after a bit, she is rather like a bad coin that way," Rin said dismissively and Sumiko laughed.

"Are you certain you don't want to stay here Rin?" Sumiko asked.

"It's… it's not about want, I can't stay here. I really do not belong here, in this era, and living in the city… it's a bad idea if the city is anything like last night. It's also not just me I have to worry about, I shouldn't be around when Kagome leaps down that well. I shouldn't, and I think after having told you all I told you, you don't think I should stay either. Don't want to mess up whatever is to come here," Rin admitted.

"I know, but… I like you," Sumiko admitted.

"I'm not very likeable," Rin answered flatly.

"Yes, yes you are, but I understand. I'll help you get out to wherever it is you want to go, and help set you up; I just ask one thing in return," Sumiko said.

"I'll pay you back!" Rin said desperately, she didn't want to be in the Higurashi family's debt.

"No, I ask you to write me," Sumiko murmured.

"I'm still paying you back, but sure," Rin shrugged and then stood up. Her world shifted a bit beneath her feet but she held herself up and kept the pregnancy to herself.

"Thank you Rin," Sumiko said.

"For what?"

"For taking away the worry, I'll take you to the train," Sumiko said suddenly and Rin blinked as she looked at the woman.

"Thank you, for your hospitality and everything when you didn't have to," Rin murmured when she reached the archway.

"Rin, I have a feeling that I owe you more than you know," Sumiko murmured. Rin said nothing as she went upstairs to pack up her few things, shove Bakusaiga into the duffle; listen to him glare at her the entire time (he was so Sesshomaru's son that she could hear him glaring at her). Then she jogged through the light slush and hopped into the dreaded car.

Sumiko made two stops. The first was to a bank; Rin was startled when Sumiko just planted the envelope of currency in her lap and then they were at the train where Sumiko bought her a ticket to the stop she needed to go to and a bus ticket.

"You didn't have to do this," Rin said as she stood at the station.

"No, I didn't, but I wanted to," Sumiko murmured then pulled Rin in for a hug. "Take care Mikadzuki Rin, I hope everything turns out for you."

"I always land on my feet," Rin informed the woman and hesitated for a moment before returning the hug.

"Thank you for looking out for my daughter, in the past, and for looking out for her in the present, and for looking after her future," Sumiko murmured.

"Thank you for taking me in," Rin said and then parted ways as she hurried onto her train. She found she didn't like trains all that much either.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	275. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 16

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Introductions:**_ The Act or Process of Introducing: The State of Being Introduced…_

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Rin stumbled off the bus and gasped for a breath of fresh air at being on solid ground again and she sat in the dirt taking deep breaths, her stomach was acting up as well.

"Are you alright?" an elderly woman asked her.

"Uh… no, pregnancy, stomach, vehicles don't agree with me right now," she sighed and smiled as she slowly got to her feet and shoulder her bag again.

"Oh, you poor thing, when I was pregnant with my daughter, it was nonstop throwing up, here, let's get you some tea to settle your stomach," the woman said.

"That's alright, it'll settle on it's own," she promised as she felt a bit light headed.

"Nonsense, this way child," the older woman said and hesitantly Rin followed the elder then.

"Thank you, I'm Rin," she introduced herself then.

"Not a problem my dear, I'm Yuno Airi," the older woman said and the both sat in a small little restaurant. Rin maneuvered her bag carefully so as to not knock her pup around. The tea was ordered, it was mint tea and Rin nearly sighed in relief as she sipped the warm soothing liquid.

"What are you doing out here pregnant, if you don't mind my asking?" Airi asked her and Rin blinked at the elder woman. She looked a bit like Kaede, softer, not as plump or haggard, and a bit younger with two large, bright brow eyes.

"Oh… um… my… lover?, and I got separated, and he's somewhere else, I don't know, and I thought to come to where we first met so he could find me," she explained uncertainly.

"I've never seen you here, and I've lived her my entire life," Airi said suspiciously.

"I lived her when I was really little, and truthfully, this isn't the first place I'd pick to live, but I figured if he were to find me he might start from the beginning," Rin said uncertainly.

"Does he know you're with child?" Airi asked.

"No," Rin admitted with a shake of her head.

"Oh, you poor child, did you have an affair with a married man?"

"No, he was my best friend in the entire world, but he's not married," Rin said softly.

"Oh, you poor dear," Airi sighed.

"Um, would you happen to know if there's a spit of farm land around here that I could work, I work hard, and I know farming, and I have some money," she explained.

"Well, I have a place for rent, if you do not mind fixing it up, my husband and I just don't have the time to give it the care it needs, and it's… it's haunted if that doesn't bother you," Airi explained.

"Haunted how?" Rin chuckled.

"It is located at a place that was once called Ushinawareta-ka," Airi said. Rin smiled then as she relaxed.

"I know the place, and if you don't mind, I will work hard there," she assured the woman.

"That's good, the land is very fertile, it's just… the place is haunted."

"Ghosts and yōkai are the least of my problems," Rin assured the elder.

"That's wonderful to hear, I'll let you speak with Kazuo, he's my husband, and if he agrees you can rent the property from us and work the land," Airi said and Rin smiled in agreement. After finishing their tea, and her stomach settling she agreed to go with Airi to meet Kazuo. It wasn't like there was anything bad that could come from the meeting; at worst she would be told no and then she would have to go about finding a different farm in need of a hand. Rin knew how to work the land, and she was good at it when she had to actually focus on it.

She nearly balked at the agreement meaning she had to get into one of those rolling death trap cars, but she held her tongue as she slowly clambered into the car. She squeezed her eyes shut, and gripped the seat in sheer terror as Airi drove this rattling death trap up the mountain, her stomach did dangerous flips again. They came rattling to a halt, and Rin dove out of the car again gasping for air.

"That is an unnatural way of traveling," she grumbled to herself.

"Oh, your illness might be a rough one if a simple car ride like that was tough on you," Airi said softly.

"'M fine!" she choked out as she hugged her stomach and slowly got to her feet, she saw Bakusaiga's ghost, he grinned at her she panicked and motioned for him to disappear, Airi was turning and Rin's heart dropped into her stomach, the Bakusaiga was gone. She heaved a sigh of relief.

"You know Rin, I am not one to normally like or trust people, but I have found you to be a charming, sweet, and somewhat familiar young lady, it has been delightful speaking with you," Airi chattered.

"Oh, yes," Rin said uncertainly as she picked up her bag and carried it with her.

"Now, Rin, is there anything you'd like to eat?" Airi asked her.

"No, I'm good, but could I use your restroom?" Rin asked.

"Certainly dear, it's down the hall to the right," Airi said.

"Thank you," Rin managed and bolted as she skidded to a halt over the sink and heaved her guts up. It was a dry heave though but no less painful as she gasped for air.

It was strange seeing the reincarnations of people she had once known and seeing their lives in the modern world as if they were a completely different person. Slowly she stood as she leant back on the wall.

"Will you knock off the stomach jitters, we're safe, knock it off," she hissed at her stomach. That did the trick and slowly she stood, rinsed her mouth, then walked out to the kitchen again and stopped upon seeing a man who reminded her of an old Suikotsu.

"Rin, this is my husband, Kazuo," Airi introduced.

"Humph," the old man grunted and Rin just stared at this.

* * *

**Sorry about this past week folks, I was digging through George before he gets wiped and I get to take a sledge hammer to him looking for old pieces of writing. Found a few things, not a lot worth posting though.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	276. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 17

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Introductions:**_ The Act or Process of Introducing: The State of Being Introduced…_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

"So you're the little street urchain my wife picked up this time," Kazuo said.

"Um… yeah," she nodded uncertainly as her hand slipped to her back pocket where she had slipped nail she had swiped from the Higurashi home. She smiled uncertainly as she felt herself tense looking at the eyes and face of Suikotsu and remembering the split of his mind and personality.

"What's your name; full name," Kazuo demanded.

"Mikadzuki, Mikadzuki Rin," she managed nervously as she eyed her bag and then looked back at Kazuo.

"I knew a Rin once, tiny tyke, moved away years ago though," Kazuo said accusingly.

"Um…" she started.

"Fine, if you're up for the challenge of taming the Ushinawareta-ka land and home then you can live there; but I don't want to hear one word of complaint you little harlot," he snapped.

"That is extremely rude, and I am not a harlot!" Rin snapped as she stared back levely at Kazuo.

"You're an unmarried pregnant girl, probably just out of high school, I will call you what I want," Kazuo snapped back.

She folded her arms, tilted her head back and lifted her brows then.

"Yuno, I came here because I have more than just me relying on me and if it was just me relying on me then I'd be fine with whatever you called me. But that was before I got to here, and before you ever dare to call me a harlot again know that I have lived through many wars, fought many battles, survived without the aid of a single human soul, and fought to save the only man I have ever loved, and I have and do love him with a passion an insect like you could never understand or comprehend until you've felt it," she stated icily. "So think about what you call me carefully because calling me a harlot is a fast way to lost both my respect, and my compassion."

"I see why you like this one," Kazuo mused to Airi.

"It wasn't nice to call her a harlot, dear," Airi said firmly.

"Niceties mean nothing to this one, I can see it," Kazuo mused as he walked to her.

"Yuno Kazuo, if you're still interested in a place to live come with me," he said.

"Thank you?" she stammered as she picked up her bag and walked after Kazuo then.

"Don't take this wrong, but our last tenant stole from us and ran off," Kazuo said as he opened a dreaded car door. She internally groaned. "I don't like to trust young folks, but I am growing weary and need help maintaining the property. My eldest is at school right now, and my youngest daughter is a newly married, I need help on the upkeep of this property."

"Oh, um, I'm no longer a thief, and I only stole food when I was a starving child so I won't be stealing anything from you, and I work hard, even if I will be a bloated cow in a few moons," she grumbled.

"Don't over work yourself right now, just, if you're willing to take care of the upkeep of the Ushinawareta-ka property, pay a bit of rent, and work the land for me over the next few years, I don't mind you living there," Kazuo said.

"Thank you, and even if I'm pregnant I will work hard," she assured and rubbed her belly as her stomach flipped and she watched the trees zipping past her. Oh Kami! Don't let her die in this forsaken metal contraption! She prayed.

"Good to know," Kazuo said and after forty minutes of intense silence they rolled up to a battered old house. She leapt out of the car and very nearly kissed the gravel beneath her but she was dry heaving then.

"Better out than in," a comforting voice assured her as he rubbed her back. She gasped for breath again.

"Sorry, stupid stomach," she waved off as she shakily got to her feet leaning against the vehicle she sighed.

"The plumbing is good, so's the electricity, place as a telephone, and the wi-fi is hooked up here; my son did that, this place was his pet project until he left of r college," Kazuo said, Rin grabbed her back and walked after him. she looked around the old home. "Roof is leaky, floors need a bit of work, but if you're up for the task then have it. My son, Ken'ichi is here on weekends, he'll help you if he can or if you need anything. Tools and everything are for you to use, they're in that shed, there are fourplots of viable land, but if you don't mind just working one over I would appreciate it."

"How many do you need worked on?" she asked.

"Actually, I need most of the land, the forest behind you though is off limits, but all of this clearing, but for now, just work on the one over there if you can," he gestured and she nodded as she mentally started planning.

"I can do all this, it'll be work, but I can," she said firmly.

"Don't tax yourself in your condition," Kazuo ordered and she sighed.

"I'm pregnant with the most hardy of babies, believe me, it's not going anywhere, I can work all this land. And being pregnant doesn't mean I should be lazy," she argued.

"Do not over tax yourself."

"Fine," she dismissed and looked over the property.

"I will come around April for planting, that should give you time to fix up the one plot," Kazuo said.

"Four plots," she counted.

"One," he insisted.

"No, you will bring seeds for four plots, and I will have it all ready," she assured him.

"Humph, we'll see," he grumbled and she smiled sweetly.

"Kazuo, I'm used to working hard, and hard labor; this is just another task needing to be done, if you need a minimum of four plots then I will do four plots," she assured.

"Don't kill yourself, there's no one around, Airi runs errands once a week; usually Friday, if you need something call the house, the number is by the phone," he said and she waved him off as she waited a beat.

"Alright Bakusaiga, the coast is clear," she called, a green phantom appeared beside her.

"Oh Kami," the pup gasped.

"Yup, we have a lot of work to do," she admitted and started braiding her loose hair as she pulled off her shoes and stepped onto the cool ground. "Where do we start?" she mused.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	277. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 18

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Introductions:**_ The Act or Process of Introducing: The State of Being Introduced…_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Getting back into the rhythm of farming was actually harder than Rin had anticipated, but she was undeterred as she determinedly worked out the weeds, and had Bakusaiga churning the earth. Rin was taking care of the roof too; not that she minded.

The work worked as a lovely distraction from her heart, which was aching and recently waking her at night with vivid memories of her past exploits with Sesshomaru. If she didn't have those memories though she might have gone insane with loneliness as she worked in this new era. And as it turned out she was good at the work as she moved the weeds and roots of the weeds out of the plots to be used for the farming.

The tools were good, and as she worked the roof over she found herself falling into a rhythm, though it was only when it rained that she was able to map out the leaks; and the rain had come twice in the past weeks.

Bakusaiga took away a lot of her loneliness as the coming weeks passed. He was a very curious creature, and she found it amusing watching him explore, hunt and examine all which interested him. which brought her to today as she sat on the roof with nails in her lips, hammer in hand, and a pup sitting beside her holding the shingles as she worked the roof over. The sound of crunching gravel captured her attention as she looked up from her task, Bakusaiga disappeared then but she sensed his energy pulsing around her.

It was the truck from the Yuno family, and seeing as how Airi and Kazuo were often times stopping here to check in on her she wasn't overly alarmed.

That is, until the person got out of the truck.

"Hello," the man called to her. Rin stiffened where she sat and watched him. "I'm Yuno Ken'ichi, my father said someone had moved into the old Ushinawareta-ka place," he called up to her.

"Um…" she uncertainly watched him; her past expierences with men had her cautious as she remained up on the roof where she was out of his reach.

"What are you doing on the roof!? Mom said you're pregnant!" he shouted as he jogged to the ladder.

"Fixing it, obviously! It's leaky as a holey spoon!" she shouted back and scowled when he scaled the ladder. He was level with her and she looked him over.

He was the honest sort, she could see that as she stared at those honest brown eyes, and that boyish face.

"Well here, let me help!" he said, she moved away a bit when he came near her.

"I'm doing very well on my own, thank you," she tartly replied and he looked around the roof.

"clearly, I've been trying to patch it up for years and it's never looked this good," he sighed.

"Could you leave, please," she sighed.

"Nope, Dad sent up the crop seeds for on plot, but I see you have four ready," he said thoughtfully as he sat on the roof.

"I said I'd do four plots, this year and possibly the first few years, and make it more if I stayed, I wasn't joking," she snapped.

"Hey! Don't bite me, I just facilitate what is to be done and dad worries about you being pregnant and up here all by yourself," Ken'ichi stated.

Rin rolled her eyes.

"I am not defenseless, nor am I helpless, I am pregnant, not incapacitated," she snapped.

"So I see," Ken'ichi said and his eyes were on her belly. Rin would have been worried about her showing already; because if her math was right she had about six moons to go before she'd give birth, but she was of such a tiny build that she wasn't surprise that her belly was rounding already. "Where's your… husband?"

"That is none of your concerned, but since you asked I've misplaced him; temporarily," she admitted.

"Really?"

"Yes, now, I'm not being thrown off balance by an enormous belly so now is the time to do the roof; before I can't, and you can just leave it to me," she said and tried to move him.

"No, but I'll help you; I'm home for the weekend and my mom says you're a hell of a cook," Ken'ichi said.

"I'm not avalible," Rin said flatly.

"Neither am I, but I think we could both use a friend," he said gently.

"Just friends?" she questioned.

"Yeah, I have a girl I'm working up the nerve on asking out," he admitted.

"She'll be a lucky woman," Rin mused as she slowly went back to work and Ken'ichi took over Bakusaiga's post.

"Hey, isn't four plots a lot of work for one girl in your condition and obviously your size," Ken'ichi said.

"My size has very little to do with what I am capable of, and until my belly prevents me from being small, I will not let my size stop me from what I do for work," she said firmly.

"That's determination," Ken'ichi chuckled.

"Really, my friend, Kagome called it bitch tendancies with gumption," she admitted, Ken'ichi laughed and they continued working as the sun shone down on them. Rin was relatively certain that by the end of that day she had gotten most of the leaks covered; but only the next rain would tell her.

With great reluctance she let Ken'ichi help her off the ladder and to the ground. Her slight bump was not as noticeable when she was standing.

"Please tell your father I have four plots, and I intend to seed them," she said as she hopped up to the door of her home.

"Sure, mind sharing dinner?" he asked her.

"No, but I eat for two now," she stated flatly.

"Duly noted, my sister's pregnant and she's turned into a shark. I know better than to get between a pregnant woman and her food," he sighed.

"Then you are indeed a very wise man," Rin chuckled as they walked into her house as she prepared dinner.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	278. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 19

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Introductions:**_ The Act or Process of Introducing: The State of Being Introduced…_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

"Father said you were from the city, any particular part?" he asked her as she started preparing a lunch for them with the rice she had made last night. It was fascinating to her how in this era food kept, and it was placed in these little Tupperware before being put in the refrigerator.

"Tokyo," she answered as she finished pulling out the food, she frowned noticing the light in the fridge was off; that was odd.

"Sorry about the electricity here, I can patch it up next weekend, if you like. Bring the right tools, until then I could brink you out a generator," he said.

"Um… thank you?" what the hell was a generator? She wondered as she put the food over a small fire on the stove and heated it up quickly and pulled out some fish before it started smelling bad without the cool box preserving it. She'd need salts n hand, just in case this was a regular occurrence. She didn't know if it was or wasn't but bad meat smelt atrocious; even when one was not pregnant.

"Sure, we're a community out here," Ken'ichi grinned. She smiled a bit at that.

"It has been a while since I felt like I were a part of a community," she admitted shyly as she continued making lunch.

"Oh, why is that?" he asked innocently, she saw Bakusaiga from the corner of her eye and shook her head.

"I was traveling a lot for my… husband?... until recently," she admitted as she continued cooking the fish.

"Interesting, but why?"

"You are prying Yuno Ken'ichi," she scolded firmly.

"Can't be helped, I'm a nosy person where small, defenseless girls are concerned, especially when they're pregnant and their husbands up and leave," Ken'ichi said darkly. She glanced at him.

"My husband, and I'm not even sure if he really is my husband or my… boyfriend or fiancé; he's my best friend, has never left me, ever, for the moment, we've just temporarily misplaced one another," she said coldly.

"How does one misplace a person!?"

"You would be very surprised with everything I've been through," she chuckled and continued making the fish. Once it smelt done she served him up some of the rice and the fish and she served herself as well as she sat across from him.

"Mikadzki Rin, you are a strange one," Ken'ichi said.

"Oh, you have no idea," she mumbled and glared pointedly at Bakusaiga when he materialized and made a swooning expression before glaring back at her with a warning. Crazy pup should know by now that Sesshomaru was the only male, daiyōkai for her.

"You said you have a sister," Rin smiled.

"Yeah, Taka Sachiko, married to my best friend Taka Daichi, and if I didn't happen to know he made her happy I'd beat the living shit out of him for having married my sister. It's my sister after all and there is a code between men about what is and is not off limits; sisters are off limits," Ken'ichi growled menacingly.

"You do know that women are free to chose partners who make them happy, correct?" Rin asked.

"Yeah, it's just… little sister, about your age, my best friend; a year older than me, and she's now expecting their first kid," Ken'ichi defended.

"Understandable," she conceded as she ate her meal ravenously. "Are you going to finish that?" she asked when she saw his meal was half eaten.

"Uh… probably not," he admitted. She just took his plate and continued munching. She was so famished, it made her worry that she was carrying more than one pup in her. The thought had her paling as she remembered a lesson from InuKimi about how some daiyōkai could carry up to ten pups. Slowly Rin looked at her slight bump and frowned.

"Oh Kami…" she whispered.

"Hm, what was that?"

"Nothing!" she smiled. "Do you at least approve of your sister being happy with this Daichi?" she asked to turn the topic before she spilt her worries to a stranger.

Now, Rin had become accustomed to seeing her friends reincarnated; Sango, Kohaku, Kaede, and even the terrifying Suikotsu, but Ken'ichi did not make her think of anyone. In fact he was the first person she had encountered who was not a reincarnation of some sort, and she found she liked his company all that much more because of that development.

"Well, I can't complain, I mean, he treats her like a queen, ad they're buying the local diner in town," he said. "Also, she's happy so I guess that's something. she could definitely do far worse than Daichi, don't get me wrong. I mean so of the guys she would bring home from boarding school when she was younger; I'd want to knock their lights out."

"Then you should be grateful that she had the common sense to love someone who loves her back and will protect her," Rin pointed out.

"I guess, hey, you're pretty tiny, are you sure you'll be alright out here by yourself?" Ken'ichi asked her.

"I am far from defenseless, my… husband, saw to it that I could defend myself from nearly any threat I was faced with, and if I couldn't defend myself then I can always flee, though I have found no need to flee for several years," she admitted as she finished her plate.

"Huh, I guess you're lucky then, my ex, Asami, she would be crying for help with a spider," Ken'ichi said evenly.

"Spiders annoy me," she growled thinking of Naraku. If she ever ran into that spider again it would be too soon, and she would shred him into tiny bits!

"Not a fan of spiders…" Ken'ichi chuckled.

"I have had a bad expierence or two because of a spider but nothing to have me crying for help; my best friend disposed of the problem and my fear of the spiders," she said seriously.

"You are a very odd one Rin," Ken'ichi chuckled.

"Thank you, I will take that as a compliment."

* * *

**I caught a cold, and then a thought hit me which had be depressed and not wanting to write Never Be the Same for a bit: **

**-This Story Will Probably Be Done Before The End of May Next Year! D= WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO WITH MYSELF!? Well, I mean, I know what I'm going to do, write another story, but I started this last year in April! So I really don't know what I'm going to do with myself when I finish this story. Do I celebrate that I finish or mourn that I finish? Oh well, I guess I will know when I reach the end.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	279. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 20

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Introductions:**_ The Act or Process of Introducing: The State of Being Introduced…_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Rin watched as Ken'ichi pulled out in his truck and she waited a beat before Bakusaiga materialized beside her.

_You shouldn't encourage him mama, humans are stupid enough to think that they can steal you from papa and if that happens they will die when papa catches up to us._ Bakusaiga pointed out.

"I know, and I didn't encourage him, in case you forgot, and he's going to fix the zappy thing about this house," she chuckled. "Use what tools are avalible to you, and your papa knows I will never stray from him no matter what."

_We know, but humans are so stupid! Like Aunt Kagome!_

"Kagome is a special kind of human, but yes, I agree, she does not have common sense," Rin chuckled as they walked into the house Bakusaiga slipped through a wall and grinned at his action. She chuckled as well as she gathered up the dishes and started cleaning them.

_Kagome is annoying_. He declared arrogantly.

"No argument from me, but she's your aunt and you need to hold some respect for her."

_It is hard to respect her when she cannot follow simple orders to keep her safe_, he pointed out.

"Oh Kami," Rin chuckled and Bakusaiga took the dishes to dry.

_Do you miss papa?_ He asked suddenly.

"Every day, of every moment, with every heartbeat and every breath I take," she answered truthfully.

_You don't act like it._

"Did you father act like he missed me?" she asked.

_I don't think so, I know he did miss you._

"Mm, remember, Sesshomaru-sama raised me, InuKimi taught me, and I do not express every thought running in my head like Aunt Kagome," Rin smiled. "I miss Sesshomaru far more than I could ever express."

_Good,_ the pup decided.

"Good?"

_Yes, I was worried you did not love papa as he loves you._

"Ah, well, have no fear, I love him more than you'll ever know until you fall in love," she teased.

The pup snorted and she laughed as she flicked the green phantom with water and he yelped as he scowled at her. Rin loved her pup, even if he was a phantom, she loved him so much and he reminded her so much of Sesshomaru. It was amazing to see so much of her mate in him and to feel less alone because of the phantom fang.

_I wish I could touch you_, Bakusaiga whispered.

"When we can touch, I will give you a hug that will feel suffocating," she chuckled and the pup smiled a bit as they finished the dishes and settled in for sleep. There would be a lot of work to do come tomorrow and she was going to need to do her best work to keep the four plots of land alive and flourishing.

Ken'ichi promised to return tomorrow with the rest of the seeds and she would plant them tomorrow. For now, she was going to rest.

* * *

Gold eyes stared out at the city below him. It wasn't his home city, it wasn't even his home country, he was here on business and he felt a longing ache through his chest.

Cropped silver hair, sharp gold eyes, hidden yōkai markings defined his features now. He looked the part of being human, and many who gave him a first glance thought him to be a human, few had figured him to be something other than human.

Slowly he lifted the glass of Irish whiskey to his lips as he stared out New York City and watched the storm rage around him.

It had been nearly sixty years since he had been in his homeland, and it was… it was for the best, at least until the younger Kagome leapt down the well for her permanent life five hundred years ago. He did not want to fuck anything in the past and miss his mate, he refused to lose Rin permanently. He couldn't handle it.

"Sesshomaru," a gruff voice called behind him.

"Hn?" he grunted as he heard his younger brother approaching and they stared out at New York in a lightning storm from their penthouse apartment.

"Kagome and I are going to go back to Japan," he said.

"Hn?" he lifted a brow.

"Yeah, it's… it's for the best, I know it's 2008 and we have about eight years to go, but… the pups," Inuyasha said.

"Hn," Sesshomaru nodded.

"What about you?" Inuyasha asked.

"I will follow, I will have Jaken in charge of the New York branch and return to Tokyo," he admitted. He missed his homeland, though he supposed it was going to be vastly different from when he had left it after World War II.

"Alright, Rin will show up," Inuyasha said softly.

"Hn," he managed as he felt his throat tighten and he stared out at the storm indifferently. She wasn't dead, she couldn't be dead, he could still feel her in the back of his mind, he could still sense her life there, faintly but pulsing with energy. She wasn't out of his reach yet, but she wasn't in his grasp either.

"When do you think you'll get over there?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hn," he shrugged as he sipped his whiskey and closed his eyes. He could still see her face, he could still smell that translucent scent that was uniquely Rin, and he could still feel her slight form against him. Good Kami did he miss the human.

"Kagome wants another pup, first one in five hundred years," Inuyasha said.

"There is no threat of World War," he pointed out blandly remembering when Kagome had wanted a pup seventy years ago only for World War II to break out.

"True, I'm going to help my pups and her pack now," Inuyasha said softly.

"See you in Tokyo," Sesshomaru replied dryly and continued watching the storm as his brother left him. a part of him envied Inuyasha, but another part of him also knew that Rin was the better pick for a life mate than Kagome who had told them everything happening in history as it was happening. It was infuriating. Slowly he stepped away from the window as he looked at the stand where Bakusaiga had been before disappearing eight years ago in a blinding flash of green.

* * *

He scowled at the report of one of his victims surviving, which wasn't possible because he had touched that Mikadzuki Rin, but it didn't matter as he glared at his television. He would track this woman down and break her to a million pieces.

* * *

**Sorry, this head cold has been kicking my ass, but I am getting back to writing this daily; for sure.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	280. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 21

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indomitable:** _Not To Be Subdued; Untamable; Invincible; As, An Indomitable Will, Courage, Animal…_

* * *

**Chapter 21**

Rin woke at the crack of dawn at the sound she had come to know as a truck. Sitting up she let out a yawn as Bakusaiga materialized sleepily and they stretched.

"Stay," she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes and got to her feet, she really had to go pee, but she wouldn't until she knew who was here. Walking out of the old house she leant on a post as she continued to try to rub the sleep from her eyes and she felt the daiyōkai pressure in her building in energy as the life in her clearly roused. She could not feel her pup moving, but she was so accustomed to daiyōkai energy around her she could decipher when her pup was awake and active, and resting if she focused on studying the pressure within her.

"Good morning," Ken'ichi smiled as he hopped out of the truck.

"Hn," she grunted as she tried to wake her mind.

"Ken'ichi said you had four plots of land prepared, I came to inspect," Kazuo said as he looked at her suspiciously.

"Hn," she managed sleepily.

"You alright Rin?"

"Pregnant, need to pee, sleepy," she yawned as she left them behind, hearing their chuckle. She knew Bakusaiga was watching them as an invisible force. Stretching her arms over her head she felt her spine crack as she slowly made her way to the bathroom. Once she took care of the immediate needs of her body she pulled on a warm sweatshirt as she walked outside, barefoot, in her sleep shorts, and still waking up.

"I see, Ken'ichi," Kazuo spoke to his son and she stood a bit away to be both respectful and to hear his thoughts.

"So what do you think?"

"Fine, but that means weekly checks up here," Kazuo sighed.

"She'll be fine father, I saw her working yesterday," Ken'ichi said.

"Thank you," Rin spoke and both men turned on her. "I promise to not let you down," she yawned. Knowing her promise was ruined by her yawn.

"I expect you to take it easy!" Kazuo warned her.

"Hn," she nodded as she muffled her yawn.

"Good, and no bitching when I come to check on you," Kazuo snapped.

"Hn," she nodded with a sleepy smile.

"Airi sent eggs," Kazuo informed her.

"Ooo! I'm starving," she admitted.

"I bet," Ken'ichi and Kazuo looked at her belly where her pup was safely within her at this moment and she looked at her pup with a smile.

"No, according to my husband I'm always hungry," she admitted as she walked over to the truck.

"Where are your shoes or slippers young lady," Kazuo chided as she walked to the bed of the truck to help gather the groceries he had back there.

"Don't like them, and I'm fine," she dismissed as she picked up the small bag and they walked into her house. "I'll make us breakfast," she offered.

"No, I need to return to my farm, but Ken'ichi will be here most the day repairing the wiring in this old place, if you have plumbing issues he'll be taking care of those two; though the sink and bath pull water from the stream," Kazuo said.

"Alright," she sleepily yawned.

"The other seeds will be by you shed," he said as he left her.

"Thank you!" she called after him and started pulling out the assortment of foods. She had figured out where they were stored on her own and was pleased with that as she put them up and started making omelets. Ken'ichi was quiet as she cooked and she enjoyed the silence.

Once she served up breakfast, she said a soft prayer before eating and enjoyed it as her ravenous stomach growled, snapped and demanded more.

"Wow, you know, for someone so tiny I did not expect you to eat that much," Ken'ichi chuckled.

"Pregnant, not starving," she informed him with a slight smirk on her lips as she continued devouring what she had to eat.

"So I see," he chuckled.

"Thank you for working on the zappy stuff in this house," she said softly.

"I figured it was the least I could do since this was my pet project so father could rent it out. I never thought he'd let you stay here for free labor," he chuckled.

"I don't mind," she admitted as she eyed his uneaten portion of omelet. He sighed and handed it to her, she smiled as she started devouring it.

"Where do you put it all?" he asked.

"My stomach, and the baby," she answered between bites."

"I know that but you're just… you're tiny," he chuckled.

"I've always been small for my age," she admitted. Inuyahsa had frequently called her runt, and that was no understatement. She was a small human girl, and she didn't like it, because everyone she knew was breathtakingly beautiful, taller than she and considered gorgeous with their goddess figures.

Then there was she, and though she did not mind being small, she did not like it continuously being pointed out to her.

"That's alright, my girlfriend Asami was that way," Ken'ichi said.

"I thought you were going to be asking a girl out," Rin said suspiciously.

"I am, Asami and I dated through high school and we tried the long distance thing, but she broke it off with me in January," Ken'ichi said bitterly.

"You loved her?" Rin guessed and he looked at her.

"Very much, I was planning to propose to her, but… she hates living in the country," he sighed.

"Then she is a fool, you are a very good example of what most women want in spouses," she admitted.

"Oh, and what of you Rin? A woman who has misplaced her husband? Am I your type?" he asked playfully.

"No," she said with a smile.

"Oh? And who do you go for?"

"My husband is a dangerous man, I go for a man who makes me feel alive, who makes my heart race, who is far more lethal than loving, and who is loyal to a fault, kind men aren't the kind I go for. In fact, I do not believe my husband to have a kind bone in his body, he is a strong creature of passion, and a detached personality, he is also a very dangerous man. He could kill you without breaking a sweat too, for merely talking to me. That's the type I go for," she said with a smile and saw Ken'ichi pale a bit.

"I see, good thing we're not attracted to one another."

"Very," she agreed.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	281. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 22

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indomitable:** _Not To Be Subdued; Untamable; Invincible; As, An Indomitable Will, Courage, Animal…_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Rin found farming to be something she could enjoy as the day wore on and Ken'ichi worked on the electricity of her new home. Bakusaiga took joy in roaming the forest around; she knew that because she'd see him occasionally as his ghostly form slipped through the forest, and she worked the fields. The pressure in her was stirring, Rin just endured it and would scold her pups for it later.

It was when the sun was setting that Ken'ichi walked up to her wiping his hands.

"Well, there should be no more zapping here," he sighed as she continued to plant her seeds; potatoes was what she was growing (not that she was entirely certain what the potato was).

"Thank you," she smiled as she looked up from her work.

"You're really good at this," he sighed.

"I was a farmer's daughter," she said absently as she stood and looked at the four completed plots. The breeze tugged on her long hair, she just hummed at the contentment she was feeling under the warmth of the dying sun. Rin was not happy being here without her lord, but she… she felt she could survive here, here in this bizarre year of 2008.

"So I see," he chuckled and she smiled as she walked with him towards his truck.

"Thank you again Ken'ichi," she said when he opened his truck door.

"No problem, Rin," he winked at her and she chuckled. She wasn't going to tell him again that she was a woman who belonged to a dangerous man.

"Big problem, I do not like the zappy stuff," she admitted as she looked at him.

"Ah, hey, can I ask you a weird question?" he said.

"Depends on if it's weird or stupid," she mused.

"Weird."

"Go ahead," she shrugged.

"You wouldn't happen to be a yakuza boss' daughter or something would you?"

"No, I'm just Rin," she assured him. If she said she was from the past she would probably be considered insane and dismissed from his mind. Or worse, he'd call the crazy people on her to lock her up and that would never work well in her mind.

"Really?" he mused.

"Yes, I am just Rin. and what is a yakuza?" she asked.

"Oh Kami, you know, for someone so tiny you are a hell of a mystery, Rin," he chuckled.

"I don't try to be," she said in puzzlement.

"That's why you're all the more mysterious," he said.

"You are a confusing man," she stated as he got into the truck.

"I'm not the one attracted to a person who could kill without breaking a sweat," Ken'ichi countered.

"You are now insulting me," she warned with narrowed eyes.

"Not really," he mused.

"Have a good night Ken'ichi," she said and he smiled as he pulled out of road and drove off into the night. Bakusaiga appeared beside her then.

_Stupid human_, he grumbled.

"I am a human," she warned her phantom pup.

_Not you, that human who was talking to you!_ He should not be here smelling like that," he grumbled.

"Bakusaiga, he's an ally, and I need allies. I will not survive in this era if I do not have allies," she admitted as they walked into the house. Shutting the door she sighed as she rubbed her belly where the daiyōkai pressure was building and pressing in on her. Immediately she felt it relaxing and calming.

_Yeah, but!_ Bakusaiga started.

"Bakusaiga, I would never betray my lord by falling for another, and if he falls for me that is not my problem but rather his. I would never want another but Sesshomaru, and if you know Sesshomaru so well you know this," she said coldly.

_Yes mama_, he muttered.

"Good, and you're to do nothing to Ken'ichi, I do not want to patch him up," she said.

_Fine._

"Good, now, do you eat?" she asked.

_Not really, but I have tried it occasionally, it's weird._ The pup informed her.

"I'm starving and if you would like to try some tell me now so I cook enough for you, me, and the bottomless pit your sibling is turning out to be," she chuckled.

_Alright, I'll try some again._ The pup grinned as she walked to the kitchen. It was so strange, Rin had never really thought about what it was that she needed to do or what it was that she should do. Now she was making plans and hunkering down to endure this era until Sesshomaru found her.

Part of her argued that she should have never left the Higurashi shrine but she knew she couldn't have stayed there even if she had wanted to. Staying with Kagome or around Kagome was just asking for trouble and Rin knew she couldn't stay with Kagome. Even though everything in her had screamed stay near the shrine and wait for Sesshomaru to come for her.

But there was a point where she had to assess what she could handle and had decided where to go from there. Rin couldn't handle the city so she had moved to where she and Sesshomaru had started. Perhaps tomorrow she would scout the surrounding forest and see just how much of her home area had changed.

She liked that thought, after all she had not been here in five hundred years; give or take according to her knowledge of what Kagome had said. And she had never really intended to return here. There were so many other places that she would rather be, but now she was here and Rin would make the most of it.

Humming to herself she cooked a simple, but large meal, for herself and Bakusaiga. The pup materialized at the table as he reaccounted everything that he had seen and smelt in the forest to her. Rin laughed at some of his irritation of branches and animals going through him.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	282. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 23

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indomitable:** _Not To Be Subdued; Untamable; Invincible; As, An Indomitable Will, Courage, Animal…_

* * *

**Chapter 23**

Waking the following morning with a furious churning stomach she scrambled outside to hurl her guts up by the trees. Good Kami did this suck, she thought as she leant back on her heels quivering, shaking and rubbing the upset pup in her as she closed her eyes and breathed in the cool air. This was going to be one very long pregnancy if this is what happened every morning.

Mama? A voice chirped.

"I'll be fine," she called out as she rested her brow on the tree for a moment before she stood. She'd take care of that mess later. On unsteady legs she walked back to the house where there was a floating green pup.

Are you sure mama? Bakusaiga persisted.

"Bakusaiga, the thing no one tells you about being pregnant is that it sucks, and while you're growing this life in you, your body retaliates. I will be fine," she said and they walked in. Rin knew that there was no way that she could hold down anything she ate right now which was why she fashioned a sling for the fang and slipped it over her shoulders.

"Want to go explore the forest?" she offered.

Yes!

A blinding flash of green and the pup was gone, she chuckled as she made her way out of the house, covered her vomit from this morning a bit with dirt and then walked into the forest. Slowly she slipped into the greenery and decided to lose herself here, it would be for just a moment when she could pretend that she wasn't living in the wrong era. She just needed the moment to feel like herself as she let her eyes shut and the clean forest scents assault her as the sun warmed her skin and the soil covered her feet. A laugh had her eyes snapping open and she darted after her phantom pup.

* * *

"What do you think of the new girl Rin?" his father asked as they worked.

"She's interesting, different, definitely different but… I don't know she doesn't belong here," Ken'ichi admitted. He had found himself fond of Rin within moments of their first meeting. No he did not find her attractive, though she was beautiful, she wasn't the type of woman he'd go for.

Mikadzuki Rin was tiny, seriously, the first time he saw her he had thought her to be a fourteen year old or something, but then he noticed that she was an adult when he had neared her. Rin just… she was so tin and fragile looking, it was like it would only take one solid gust of wind for her to be blown away. However, when he spoke with her, there was this… personality and she seemed so indomitable, so wild, so free, and she was a large person despite her tiny stature because of her personality.

No matter, to Ken'ichi she was probably good friend material, he thought as he sipped his coffee that morning. See, he was still hung up on Noto Asami; he had even bought a stupid ring to propose to her with this past January. He had thought: why not? I love her, she loves me let's just tie the knot.

Biggest fucking fight they had ever had before Asami had dumped him and told him she would not be marrying or associated with some country bumpkin farmer who's only ambition in life was to make her a breeder. And he was not moving to the city to be some trophy husband for her to shove her kids onto as she worked for the Narita Family. It was not happening, and though he knew they loved one another, he would rather cut out his tongue than be associated with her after that.

The worst part was that Asami still held his heart in her hands and she didn't care. Yes, that was the worst part of all this. She did not care about holding his heart in her pretty little hands and they hadn't spoken in neart five months because of their horrible break up. And to make matters more miserable for him, he still had that stupid fucking ring in his dresser drawer. So, Ken'ichi was not looking for a lover, or a girlfriend or wife, ever again; and Rin didn't strike him as they marrying type so he felt they could be friends.

Besides, Rin was pregnant with another man's child, and that man was a man she was insisting would come for her and Ken'ichi was not a homewrecker.

"You going to try to marry her?" his father asked gleefully.

"What? No! she's pregnant and she's in love with another man, and she's saying she's already married. Whatever the hell is going on with Mikadzuki Rin's love life is not something I'm stepping foot in. If she wants a friend I'll do that for her," he said firmly as he put his coffee mug in the sink and stretched. He was going to check the Ushinawareta-ka place after lunch, for now he had work to do, and he was going to make it very clear that he'd never see Rin as anything more than maybe another little sister.

His father and mother had the best intentions but they were misguided, Ken'ichi knew there'd never be another woman for him for as long as he lived.

* * *

He walked into the precinct that his reported 'surviving' victim had had and was looking through the files. He internally laughed at the cops not noticing a man with a set of fake credentials going through their files.

Finally he found what he was looking for and pulled the photo of his 'victim' out.

Mikadzuki Rin, age eighteen. She was pretty, she was his type and he smiled feeling satisfication at having his next victim picked out. now he would have to find her, but to do that he'd need to use his skillset to find her.

It shouldn't be that hard, everyone made themselves so easy to find these days, he thought as he shut the file cabinet and walked out to call in the tip for his latest victim. He knew it would keep the cops scrambling and take their attentions off of Mikadzuki Rin and wherever they had hidden her.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	283. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 24

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indomitable:**_Not To Be Subdued; Untamable; Invincible; As, An Indomitable Will, Courage, Animal…_

* * *

**Chapter 24**

Rin chuckled as she walked with Bakusaiga.

"You're telling me that there are now cages with animals?" she mused.

_Yeah, I've never been but humans are strange_, Bagusaiga informed her as she walked on a long.

"Says the phantom pup," she countered.

_I am not strange! I am a lethal inu daiyōkai sired by a human and a daiyōkai. All fear me, and in battle many trembled at the sight of my physical form as father's fang!_ Bakusaiga countered hotly.

"Bakusaiga, I have no doubt you are a feared fang," Rin mused. "But you're a phantom."

_Hn_. He grunted with narrowed eyes.

"You are acting like Sesshomaru-sama now," she sighed.

_Hn._

"Knock it off or I drop the fang, it is rude," Rin said sharply.

_Father uses it as an answer,_ Bakusaiga said wisely.

"Your father is allowed to, but I am your mother and I'm warning you that 'hn', is not an acceptable answer," Rin warned.

_Fine._ The pup grouched.

"Good," Rin said as they walked into the clearing then and both looked as Ken'ichi turned with a box of tools.

"What The Hell!" Ken'ichi shouted, he stumbled back, Rin looked at Bakusaiga and gasp.

_He can see me!?_ The pup gaped.

"Why The Hell Is It Talking!?" Ken'ichi shouted.

"Calm down, calm down!" Rin shouted as she ran to grab Ken'ichi just as he about toppled down the hill. She was too late though and she watched in abject horror as her only friend tripped on a rock and fell over the side of the hill, she heard him grunting in pain as she peeked over the edge then.

"Bakusaiga get a stretch or something," Rin shouted as she leapt over the rock and steadily picked her way down the hill where Ken'ichi was lying unconscious with a gash on his head. Rin gently prodded the wound when the pup reappeared with a tarp and a stick. Thank Kami he could touch inanimate objects as she made a handle for the tarp and gingerly moved Ken'ichi's heavy weight onto the tarp.

_No, mama, I'm pulling_, Bakusaiga warned her as he moved to grab the handles and pulled him up the hill. Rin used the fang to help her pull herself up the hill again and made a mental note to clean the scabbard for Bakusaiga again when she got on the solid drive.

"Get him inside, I'll sheck him and tell you what to gather," Rin said as they hurried into the house. Setting Ken'ichi in the sun area so she could see his wound she moved his hair from his head careful of his neck and back. She had seen cases like this where patients would wake not able to move their bodys, she was very careful as she checked him over.

"Get a rag, and that alcohol stuff they used at the hospital, then Bakusaiga, I need you to go into the forest and get the following," she said as she quickly rattled off ingrediants she'd need to help Ken'ichi. The pup nodded and disappeared. Rin carefully cleaned the wound on Ken'ichi's head as she looked him over for other wounds, slicing off his shirt to check over his ribs, and abdomen. Sensing nothing wrong she covered him up. When Bakusaiga came back she quietly worked to make a paste for the gash and applied it as she sat with him. Bakusaiga's fang was propped against her shoulder as she leant against the post rubbing her belly.

_Think he'll wake up?_ Bakusaiga whispered.

"More than likely, he was flinching in pain, and his eyes reacted when I opened them," she murmured softly as she sat with Bakusaiga.

It felt like forever before there was a pained groan from Ken'ichi and he jolted up.

"Ah! Ghosts!" he shouted.

"Calm down Ken'ichi," Rin said as she got to her feet and hurried to his side as she put a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Rin! there was a ghost! It was talking! And you talked to it!" he panicked. "Tell me it's a crazy dream!" he pleaded.

"No, no it's not Ken'ichi, and I won't tell you that it is," she said as gently lay him down again and went to his feet. "Move your toes for me, please."

Slowly he curled his toes and flexed them.

"Good, now please squeeze my hands," she ordered as she took his hands then.

"What are you a doctor?" he grumbled.

"A healer, yes, doctor, no," she said as his fingers tightly squeezed hers'. "Good, now how many fingers?" she asked as she held up one and moved it across his eyes, watching as those dark orbs followed her finger.

"One, what the hell happened?" he asked.

_Hello,_ the pup appeared at his feet then and she saw the panic in Ken'ichi's face.

"Holy shit! Am I going crazy!?"

"Depends entirely upon what you're seeing," she admitted.

"A-A ph-pha-phantom, g-g-g-green b-bo-boy!" Ken'ichi stammered out.

_I'm an inu daiyōkai!_ Bakusaiga snapped.

"It talks!" Ken'ichi squeaked.

"Ah, yes, and yes, he's real, Ken'ichi meet my son, Bakusaiga," she smiled sweetly as she gestured to the phantom pup who was floating at her shoulder.

"What the hell!" he roared. "Who the hell are you! and you don't mean inu daoyokai as in the old stories!? What is going on here!? did Sachiko put you up to this!?"

"Um… Ken'ichi, if I'm to tell you anything you have to calm down, and listen to me with an open mind," Rin said as she brushed his hair back to see the gash. It wasn't spurting blood, that was good.

"Huh?"

"We're real, Bakusaiga is real, you're not losing your mind," she assured him as he laid down and stared at her with wide eyes.

"Who are you?" he whispered.

"I'm sorry for the rudeness, I am my lord's Rin," she said with a polite bow as she stared at him.

"Huh?"

"I am from here, or near this area, but I am from five hundred years ago, I was born to a name lost to me, and I had three brothers, a mother and a father who were all farmers five hundred years ago before they were murdered and I was saved, and raised, by an inu daiyōkai," Rin said.

"Huh."

_Lay back this is a long story_, Bakusaiga suggested.

"And it's the truth, every word, you are no more insane than I," Rin assured the calming man then.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	284. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 25

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Indomitable: **_Not To Be Subdued; Untamable; Invincible; As, An Indomitable Will, Courage, Animal…_

* * *

**Chapter 25**

After having calmed Ken'ichi down, and Bakusaiga had made them all tea Rin had sat him down and explained. From the beginning when she was from, and she didn't leave out a sorid detail. She knew she had captured Ken'ichi's attention with her tale but she didn't stop telling him it until she caught him up to the present point in time.

She told him about everything, even that she was mated to a daiyōkai, she explained Bakusaiga, she told him about her two deaths, her escape from her third death and waking in this era; the year 2008. She told him everything, all the friends she had lost, the family she would never see again, and about the wars she had fought. Rin didn't leave out a single detail for him which had his undivided attention on her.

Finally she came to an end of her tale and sighed as she rubbed her snarling hunger as she examined Ken'ichi's stunned, blank, face closely for a hint of what he was thinking.

Slowly Ken'ichi lowered his tea as he stared at her for a long moment before sighing and dragging his hand through his hair.

"If I didn't happen to see that green phantom I would be calling the asylum right now," he informed her.

"Asylum?" she whispered to Bakusaiga.

_The looney bin, where they send the nutty ones_, the pup whispered back.

"Oh," she nodded.

"See! I just talked!"

_I have a name, mortal, or shall I poison you?_ the pup asked flatly as he gave a blank look at Ken'ichi.

"Be nice, Bakusaiga or I'll put the fang in the cold box," Rin warned.

_You wouldn't!?_

"I'm your mother, and your father clearly didn't teach you about manners," she growled lowly. The pup scowled at the table then.

_Fine, just suck the joy out of everything. _Bakusaiga rolled his gold eyes, she lifted her brow, he flinched but the message was received.

"You're really not lying," Ken'ichi muttered as he stared at her.

"I would never lie about this, but it is why I need your help," she whispered as she looked at her tea.

"You're pregnant with more phantom pups?" he asked ludicrously which had her laughing.

"No, no, I am pregnant, obviously, and the pup is my lord's but this pup will be very real," Rin said proudly as she rubbed her bump lightly. "No, I need help navigating this era."

"But you have papers, you shouldn't worry too much about it if you're a very legal citizen of Japan," he said.

"Well, I have never left her aside from once and it was not… it was not a good trip and one I'd prefer not to dwell upon," she admitted reluctantly as she thought about blowing up China. Not her finest of moments in life. But fun all the same.

"Well, I guess you want help with technology," Ken'ichi sighed.

"That would be appreciated," she admitted. "But, mostly… I want and need a friend."

"Huh?"

"I do not know anyone in this era beside my lord, and I have no idea where he is at this moment, and I do not know the fates of my other friends from my era," she admitted. "It has been a long time since I had a friend and I was hoping to have one in this era since I am now, permanently stuck here."

"Stuck?" he questioned.

"Yes, I was expecting to go back to my era when my lord let me fall into the well but instead I showed up in this era and now I cannot return to when I belong because the damn well stopped working," she grumbled.

"Oh, yeah, but I've never had a friend as old as you," he said.

"I am only eighteen!" she scoffed.

"Five hundred and eighteen," he countered.

Rin gaped at him, then burst into giggles.

"I guess that that is true!" she gasped as she slowly propped herself up. "But if you call me grandmother I can and I will kick your ass, pregnant or not."

"Fair point," he chuckled.

_Does this mean the human is my friend as well? _Bakusaiga demanded.

"Um… do you play video games?" Ken'ichi asked.

_Is it inanimate?_ Bakusaiga demanded.

"Uh… yes?"

_Then I shall learn!_ The pup said evilly. _And I will crush you human!_

"Bakusaiga! I am human!" Rin snapped at her son.

_He fainted when he saw me! _Bakusaiga shouted.

"I do not care, you will have respect or I drop the fang down the stairs."

_Fine_, the pup rolled his eyes.

"I swear you are exactly like your father!" Rin sighed.

_Father is the Inu no Taisho last I knew so I am pleased!_ The pup grinned.

Rin looked to the rafters of her home and decided that her mate had done this as a curse to torture her into contemplating his early demise.

Ken'ichi snickered, she glared at him and her stomach roared then.

"Who wants supper?" Rin asked as she awkwardly got to her feet.

_Me!_

"Sure," Ken'ichi grinned. Rin chuckled as she started pulling out some of the meat Ken'ichi had brought with himself yesterday and she started preparing the meal as Bakusaiga started interrogating their guest who slipped into ease with the pup.

Internally Rin chuckled as she prepared the food.

She wondered if fate had planned this, if this was a part of the grand scheme of everything happening in her life. She didn't know, but she didn't mind at this moment.

Though there was a huge gaping wound in her heart because she missed Sesshomaru-sama so much. Kami was that pain crippling and destructive. Closing her eyes she steadied herself as she continued her cooking and prepared a small feast for herself, Ken'ichi and Bakusaiga.

"Please find me soon, my lord," she whispered to herself as she prepared the plates and served up the meal. She was famished! And they all eagerly dug in as she asked Ken'ichi about life in the modern era in ways she hadn't been able too before.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	285. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 26

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Fragile:** _Easily Broken; Brittle; Frail; Delicate; Easily Destroyed…_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

Rin stood there in the heat of the sun enjoying the moment as she stared down at the land she had just fixed again and bit her lip as she rubbed her protruding baby bump; even for as minimal as it was. She had a ways to go if her calculations were correct.

It had been a month since her arrival here at Ushinawareta-ka, and she wasn't happy, but she wasn't unhappy. Rin knew she wouldn't ever, truly, be happy without her lord beside, her but she was… she was content. The breeze tugged at her hair and she closed her eyes to inhale the clean, clear air as she savored the feeling of the sun on her face and the dirt between her toes.

_I got it!_ Bakusaiga shouted, she spun around to see the phantom pup had fashioned himself a fishing rod and had a cat dangling by the waist snarling, yowling and thrashing.

"Bakusaiga!" Rin shouted.

_What!? It ate the chickens! There was no fox scent in the chicken pen, it was this cat! _The pup shouted.

"Put the cat down!" Rin snapped.

_Fine_.

"But you did good catching it, now we'll make it a ratter rather than a chickener, and we'll be rid of these vermin." She explained as she picked up the irritated cat.

_A ratter?_

"Yes, he'll hunt the rats and we'll be free of the vermin."

_Oh, and papa always said cats were useless,_ Bakusaiga shrugged.

"Your father is not always right about everything!" Rin pointed out.

_Father is the Inu no Taisho, he knows all, sees, al and his wise beyond his years,_ Bakusaiga snapped.

"And now you're sounding like your uncle," Rin sighed as she put the cat in her storage shed.

_I do not!_

Both their ears picked up when she heard the tale-tell sign of crunching earth that someone was coming. Bakusaiga disappeared until they saw the red truck that belonged to Ken'ichi.

"Hey Rin," Ken'ichi called out as he got out of the truch.

"Hello Ken'ichi, how are you today?" she asked as he walked over to her.

"Fine, Dad wanted me to check on you since I'm home this weekend, oh, and my sister and her husband are coming home for the summer," he said.

"Oh, that's nice," she smiled.

"Yeah, it'll be great to see her and Daichi again," Ken'ichi admitted.

"This is the best friend who married your little sister?" Rin asked for clarification.

"Yeah, I really don't want to think about that or their sex lives," he admitted as he paled.

_That sucks, I thought it was supposed to be that best friends didn't date little sisters_, Bakusaiga said.

"When you have a sister you'll understand."

_I'm not having a sister, I'm having two brothers!_ Bakusaiga snapped.

"Two?" Rin asked dubiously.

"Are you sure they're boys?" Ken'ichi challenged, Rin watched her son's ear flick in irritation then.

_I'm sure! No stupid sisters for me, Hoshi was annoying!_ Bakusaiga huffed out and Rin chuckled.

"Fair enough, sisters are annoying, but your mom's pretty cool, wouldn't it be cool to have a sister like your mom?" he asked.

_Hn_, he shrugged and Rin giggled at her son's antics.

"So your sister and your best friend are coming back?" Rin chuckled.

"Yeah, they're buying out the local diner, it's Daichi's grandma's anyway so it belongs in the family."

"I see," Rin nodded.

"Anyway, I came up to warn you of new cars showing up, and to kick Bakusaiga's butt again at Mario Cart," Ken'ich grinned.

Bakusaiga's eyes narrowed.

_You're on mortal!_

"What's with this mortal crap again?" Ken'ichi demanded as they walked into the hous.

_I'm five hundred years old, your human; mortal,_ Bakusaiga stated.

"Is his father really like this Rin?" Ken'ichi demanded.

"And then some," Rin chuckled.

"Then you are a saint Rin, I would have murdered him if he were my friend," Ken'ichi admitted.

"Please," Please, she and bakusaiga rolled their eyes then.

"A mere mortal is no match for my lord, he is the Inu no Taisho, he is a slayer of gods, he is a killer of Naraku, he is a savior of the dead, you are no match for my mate," Rin stated hotly and Ken'ichi chuckled.

"I figured, but it'd be worth a shot," he chuckled.

"Did you speak to Asami?" Rin asked when she saw the sad look in his eyes then. Ken'ichi only looked like that when he had talked to Asami; and he came here for some reason.

"Um…. Yeah, and please don't make me talk about it," he murmured as Bakusaiga set up the game console Ken'ichi had brought over his last trip here. Rin caught his hand before he could pull away.

"You know, if I didn't happen to be insanely in love with my lord, and from a different time, I believe you to be the kind of human I would want to be mated to," she admitted.

"Rin! you can't say things like mated!" he stated in a fluster.

"Oh?"

"Marry, that's the term for what you call mated, married, dating, fiancé depending on the context of the couple," he explained.

"No matter, the point is, this Asami is the biggest idiot on the planet, you're the sweetest person I've met in this century," she assured him and walked away knowing she had made him a little happier as he sat with Bakusaiga and started the game. Rin picked up the fang and walked outside deciding to practice her swordsmanship so she didn't fall out of practice.

Even if she was pregnant she was expected to defend and take care of, herself, and to do that she would use ever weapon in her arsenal, and she wouldn't fail. She would not let her lord down by making it this far to die!

With that in mind she slowly pulled the lethal fang from it's sheath before she started the basic movements, then continued to move fluidly. Controlling her breathing, focusing on keeping clear and calm she moved and hacked at the dummies she had set up to use.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	286. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 27

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Fragile:** _Easily Broken; Brittle; Frail; Delicate; Easily Destroyed…_

* * *

**Chapter 27**

Rin walked back into the house to see Bakusaiga sound asleep, and Ken'ichi was sleeping through Bakusaiga. Internally chuckling she walked to her storage, pulled a blanket that Airi had brought her a while and draped it over the boys.

Sighing she rubbed her belly as she got to her feet and walked to her kitchen for a snak. She was hungry; all the time. but that was a side effect of being pregnant she supposed as she pulled out a small snack and started munching on it as she sat at her table and pulled out one of the books Ken'ichi had given her. It was the basics for reading, but she was alright with that, she would need to learn more about this era, and she would learn it by reading the basics first.

Her hand rubbed over her belly and she wondered about Bakusaiga's words.

She had no doubt that he was right about the two; after all, daiyōkai, yōkai, and hanyō hearing was superior to a human's, but it was his statement that he was having brothers which concerned her.

According to InuKimi, not even the keenest of noses could pick which pup would be what gender by scent; it was impossible because the pup was wrapped up in it's mother's scent. And between the pup and the real world was the mother's body, the skin, the placenta, the womb, the muscles. Her pups were quite literally snugly wrapped up in her body at this moment. Also, it was hard to distinguish the mother's scent from the pups, so for all Bakusaiga's confidence that he was having brothers it was just as possible he could have sisters.

Rin knew there were worse things in the world than having daughters, and Sesshomaru would probably not care one way or another. He was a mate who only cared about the health of his pack, and his family; everything else was probably considered extra. So Rin was not too stressed about letting her mate down by possibly having a daughter.

Sighing her head fell back as she stared at the rafters above her and she tried to think about what this was going to do to her.

If her math was correct; and with all the time jumping she wasn't not certain that it was correct; she was about five or six moons from delivering her pups, which would put her autumn when leaves were turning and the harvest was over.

That would be good for her, she could store food, and prepare for a harder winter; not in weather, but in responsibilities. Rubbing her protruding belly, she sighed. This was just so hard, it was hard when women had men there to help, and she was now doing all this alone. No mate to support her, no midwife to help her, no nothing. Rin was scared, but more than that, she was concerned for her health and the pups.

She couldn't go to the hospital, and she did not think she could as the Yuno family to help her when there was the possibility of her pups being silver with dog ears. That would be difficult to explain.

On the bright side, she would not be giving birth to an actual puppy. That could be… bad.

* * *

Sesshomaru read over his business in New York when his phone rang; to be specific the yōkai phone rang telling him that there were problems in the yōkai world.

"Sesshomaru," he answered.

"Sesshomaru-sama, we've encountered a problem with the school, we've had four humans apply, we keep rejecting them but they've continued to pester us to get in," a voice filled the other end of the line and he sighed as he leant back in his seat.

"Who are these children?" he asked.

The names were read to him, he made a mental list and started pulling up their files, he saw their records and nodded.

"I will send them to the other schools," he said.

"Thank you my lord," the voice breathed.

"Hn," he hung up and sighed.

Five hundred years later and the yōkai still strove to respect the treaty. He had never once thought of the treaty as a bad thing, it protected the hanyō, yōkai, and daiyōkai of Japan. Things there were not like things in the States where people simple did not care about yōkai, and hanyōs. It wasn't as important here.

Closing his eyes he rubbed his brow then pressed the intercom.

"Jaken," he snapped.

"Yes milord!" the kappa squeaked.

"Get the car, arrange a flight to London, we will leave the business in the hands of Kasai, next year they will return to Japan," he snapped.

"Y-Yes milord!" Jaken agreed as he hurried off the intercom.

Sesshomaru looked at the ceiling, then surged to his feet as he overlooked Central Park from his office. He had found that with the turn of the century he liked exploring the world. It was better than sitting at that fucking well hoping for some sort of miracle that wasn't likely to come or happen. Whenever Rin was, she wasn't here; yet, but she was alive, he could feel her faintly in the back of his mind.

Closing his magenta lids he thought about this as he reached through the connection for his mate. He hit the same barrier as always; the one time had erected between them.

Snarling in frustration he threw his brandy the.

He had lost Bakusaiga eight years in a flash of blinding green, and now he couldn't even reach Rin! just feel her faintly.

Calming down he rested his brow on his arm as he leant on the window and sighed.

What did he do in his past life to deserve this fate? Why did he not get to have Rin beside him when every other yōkai got to keep their mates with them? Why did he not have the same gift?

Good Kami did he miss her! He missed her laugh, he missed her presence, he missed her smell, he missed feeling her in his arms or wrapped up in his mokomoko, he miss….

He missed her.

* * *

**Sorry, no internet this past weekend.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	287. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 28

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Fragile:** _Easily Broken; Brittle; Frail; Delicate; Easily Destroyed…_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

Sitting in his car he read over the information for Mikadzuki Rin he had; there was surprisingly little. But that didn't faze him as he dug a bit deeper into her.

What did faze him when there was nothing besides the driver's license that she had, and when there was nothing else. It was strange this day in age when there were things like social media, connection, phones, and shit like that but there was nothing. It was clear to him that he was going to have to play cop again as he looked at her 'next of kin' on her hospital form.

Higuraishi Sumiko.

A resident of the shrine, he could handle that. it wouldn't be that hard to charm it out of the woman as to where Rin had gone, saying that it was police business. Then he would know where to go and what he needed to do. It was important that he find this 'survivor' and eliminate her. Even if he didn't remember her being the one of the ones he attacked.

The phone rang, he snatched it up as he looked at Rin's image on his screen.

* * *

"And you want me to do what?" Rin asked blandly as she rubbed her temples and looked flatly at Ken'ichi.

"Well, I need you to you know, show me some of the moves," Ken'ichi grinned and waggled his brows, he was eyeing her fang and she knew what it was that he wanted but she also knew what happened to the last idiot mortal she had tried to teach.

Kagome had damn near sliced her own arm off!

"No," Rin said blandly.

"What!? But it'd be so cool, and I mean, you're from an era that is full of sophisticated warriors, and to learn from a real master…" he grinned.

"Flattery will get you nowhere with me Ken'ichi, besides, you have no use for a weapon like the sword in this era," she said as she picked up Bakusaiga's fang. "Also, this is no ordinary weapon, it is a daiyōkai's fang, and not just any daiyōkai, it belongs to my lord. I forged this weapon for my lord, and it is not like a normal sword. It is venomous, it is lethal and it is sharper than the normal human sword. I will not teach you how to use Bakusaiga."

"Baksaiga? Bakusaiga?" he blinked as he looked at her pup and the fang. "Really?"

_That's my body mortal, I will not have you desecrating it with your own stupidity or blood_, Bakusaiga snapped.

"Really!?"

"Yes, Bakusaiga is the living soul of my lord's fang, apparently brought to life when I bled," Rin chuckled as she looked at her pup who was scowling at Ken'ichi. Ken'ichi was gawking at her.

"One of these days I'm going to need to actually sit you down and have you tell me everything you did. I'll make a book of it, we'll e rich," he chuckled.

"Book of what I did?" she asked dumbly. It sounded stupid to her but who was she to judge?

"Yes, it'll be an epic adventure!" he chuckled.

"Oh Kami, I've had enough adventure," she assured him.

"I guess, oh, Sachiko and Daichi will be coming up that road next week, you might see them," he said as he guided her to the edge of her fields and she looked down the mountain at the road.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I don't know if they're coming up to say hello to you or not, but if you want to see them coming, that's the road; you'll see the car at the least, and you can come to dinner with us," he chuckled.

"I would rather hang out with Bakusaiga," she admitted.

"Alright, I'll swing up here later this week with the market run," he grinned as he hugged her shoulder.

"Thanks Ken'ichi," she smiled.

"No problem," he admitted.

"Have you talked to Asami recently?" Rin asked.

"You know, I'm letting her go, if Noto Asami wants to live all on her own in Tokyo, I'm not going to stop her or interfere," he shrugged.

"You're too good for that idiot," Rin assured him as he got in his truck. He grinned as he waved and she watched him go.

_I like him, I thought all humans were annoying like Kohaku's descendants or Aunt Kagome, but he's nice._ Bakusaiga said as floated there with his legs folded.

"I'm human!" she snapped.

_No you're not, you haven't been for a long time_, Bakusaiga argued.

* * *

Kagome read over the resume of one of her very distant cousins. (Apparently Miroku and Sango had been her ancestors, not that she had known that until generations later.) but as she looked over Noto Asami's resume, a descendant of Kohaku she was impressed.

"And your baby?" she asked the young woman who was sitting there with a five month buldge.

"Oh, it's my ex-boyfriend, he wasn't willing to move here so… I'm keeping it and doing this on my own," the young woman admitted.

"Well, your resume is impressive, but my brother-in-law is going to London at the moment, there was a company emergency; I don't know how long he will be gone," Kagome said as she leant back in her chair.

"Well, I'm willing to work wherever and whenever, it has been my dream since I was a little girl to work for your family," Asami said.

"I see, well, we are willing to employ you, you will have maternity leave when you have the child, but after that my brother-in-law will require your full attention. He is a demanding employer, three of his past assisstents were fired because they could not keep up with the demanding hours. I wonder how long you will last," Kagome mused.

"I will do whatever I need to do," Asami said.

Kagome smiled; this one was like Rin; a little, perhaps Sesshomaru could move on; even if this one was having another man's baby. But these were new times, Kagome had been watching them evolve with fascination. It was possible, it was time to let Rin go.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	288. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 29

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Fragile:** _Easily Broken; Brittle; Frail; Delicate; Easily Destroyed…_

* * *

**Chapter 29**

Rin looked at her swollen belly as she sat on the porch a few nights later listening to the rain. She was startled at feeling the energy in her, and she wondered if there was really two in there. Humming a forgotten lullaby she looked out at the bright night as she swung her legs and enjoyed the light rain.

_Mama_, Bakusaiga said as he materialized beside her. _Do you ever miss your time?_

"All the time, but I can't go back apparently," she sighed.

What about when aunt Kagome activates the well? He asked.

"I thought about it, but then… your father would never meet me if I leapt down the well to the point in time Kagome goes, she leaps down just before your father finds me, and I… I don't want to deprive us of even meeting," she admitted. She also didn't want to know what would happen if he didn't revive her with Tenseiga. The mere thought alone had her shuddering and reaffirming her decision to not meddle any farther with time.

_I miss papa all the time_, Bakusaiga admitted.

"I do as well, I miss your father more than I can say," Rin admitted miserably as she looked at the growing bump she had. "But we must be strong, Sesshomaru-sama does not appreciate weaklings who cling to him in desperation like your aunt Kagome," Rin mused.

Why do you still call him your lord?

"Well, he is, I may be his mate, but he's been my lord for as long as I've lived and even if I weren't his mate, I would serve him to the best of my abilities." To be honest, it was also a habit, because Sesshomaru was her lord on top of everything else he was to her. He was her most precious person.

I see, Bakusaiga said thoughtfully when a sound had her coming to attention.

She stood, Bakusaiga's fang in her hand as she stared out in the rain and listened.

It was a horrid screeching sound, she leapt off the porch then as she ran through the mud in her bare feet and skidded to a stop. She saw the lights swivling, her eyes went wide recognizing the horrid contraption to be a car as it screamed in protest. Crying out she started running down the wet ledge between her home and the road as she saw the car spin out of control and slid over the edge. She had to help them!

Hurrying down the mountain was easier than she expected as she all but flew. Her feet were sure, but after a life barefoot and in the forest she was rarely uncertain. Even as her belly pulled her off balance. She skidded to a halt on the road as she stared over the edge where the car as disappeared, she saw fire, and panic built in her.

Ignoring her panic she slid cautiously down the steeper slope as she skidded to a window. The vehicle was upside-down and she lay in the mud. There were two people inside, the one nearest to her in the driver's seat was coming to now.

"Hey! Hello!" she called out. he looked at her, and his eyes were wide with panic. "Relax, I'm going to get you out of here," she promised as she sat up on her knees and toes and slammed the hilt of Bakusaiga in the cracking glass. It shattered, and then she heard the panicking man.

"My wife! You have to save her first! She's five months pregnant! Save her!" he shouted at her.

"Alright, alright," she submitted, knowing the man wouldn't work with her if he was fearing for his mate. Rin clambered around to the otherside, she saw the unconscious woman. Breaking the glass Rin cautiously wiggled into the car to see what she was dealing with and why the woman was still upside down.

The belt held her.

Ignoring the glass slicing in her skin she wiggled out of the window and drew her fang. Bakusaiga appeared then.

_Mama, it's going to blow! _Bakusaiga warned.

"I'm not leaving without them!" Rin hissed as she slammed the fang into the crack of the door and used all her weight as leverage to force it open. The door protested but gave way when Bakusaiga's fang leaked acid. Finally it gave way, Rin sliced the belt off the woman and caught her weight as she dragged her out of the car carefully. Pulling the woman up the mountain was hard, but Rin didn't slow as she put the woman on the flat ledge of the road before clambering back down the mountain. She sunk in the mud then as she slid at the man's door. the fire was blazing more surely.

"My wife!?" he cried out deliriously.

"I got her, now I'm getting you," Rin said as she slammed the fang into the door and fought it.

_Mama! _Bakusaiga called out.

"Get away from here!" the man shouted, Rin looked up, and she heard a whoosh. Something slammed into her, then there was a thundering explosion behind her as she rolled down the mountain, gasping as she hit her back on a tree and felt the wind knocked out of her.

_Mama!_ Bakusaiga screamed, she stared at te wavering orange blob before she passed out.

* * *

Ken'ichi looked up when he heard the explosion and his eyes widened as he looked up the mountain and saw the fire. He had been checking the sheds, but now he dropped his flashlight as he ran, leaping into the truck he turned the engine on as he roared up the mountain.

He was so scared, he was trembling but as he frantically flew up the road he felt his fears double.

The sight of the phantom pup over an unconscious woman had him slamming the breaks as he narrowly skidded around the pup and woman. Getting out he looked at the pup.

"Bakusaiga!?"

Mama's down there! Get her! I got this human! the pup shouted. Ken'ichi ran to the edge and looked down, he gasped seeing Daichi's car as he ran down the muddy hill.

* * *

**Sorry for the lack of updates here, it's unfair to you guys. But in my defense I'm busy closing out stories so I can go to school because my fall was messed up and I want to get this started; sooner rather than later.**

**I will be finishing Never Be the Same, no matter what by the end of May, just have patience with me at the moment.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	289. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 30

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Fragile:** _Easily Broken; Brittle; Frail; Delicate; Easily Destroyed…_

* * *

**Chapter 30**

The sobbing, rain, and her own pain were what she came around to as a low moan of pain escaped her lips and her eyes opened to be assaulted by light.

"Slow, Rin, slow," a calm voice murmured, she groaned as she sat up, the sobbing wasn't from her but it was the soul wrenching sobs which had her looking around.

"The man!" she gasped, scrambling to her feet when a strong hand caught her shoulder, she looked into the eyes of Ken'ichi then and a shudder passed through her in horror as she stared at him.

"No…" she whispered.

"Daichi… he didn't make it," he murmured.

"Why didn't you save him!?" a woman screamed and that was the first Rin had noticed of the woman who stood there hugging herself and soaked to the bone from the rain.

"I…I'm sorry," Rin managed as she trembled, the cold seeping into her bones, and the shivers wracking her body.

"You should be dead! Not him!" the woman was about to collapse and Ken'ichi caught her before she fell.

"Sachiko," he snapped as the woman sobbed and Rin's blood ran cold as hell froze over. The name, his sister, his best friend, Rin looked at Ken'ichi who was hugging his sister to him and Rin's breath hitched.

She had saved his sister.

She had killed his best friend.

Getting to her feet she wavered a bit but steadied herself. She needed to go, she needed to get away from here, no doubt they'd want her gone and to never come back, but she knew… she knew that there was nothing she could do to bring Daichi back or change what had just happened. Standing on shaky legs she picked up Bakusaiga's fang; noticing it on the road, and she walked slowly over to them.

"I hate you!" Sachiko sobbed.

"I'm sorry," Rin whispered.

"Come on, I'll take you both to the doctor's," Ken'ichi said.

"N-No," Rin shook her head slowly.

"Rin, you're pregnant, you need a doctor to check you over," Ken'ichi started as he caught her hand.

"I'll be fine, I'm sorry… I wanted to save him," Rin said, not looking at either person.

"Rin…" Ken'ichi started. Rin pulled away then and she hurried up the mountain from the way she came as the sobs were coming to choke her. She had failed, for the first time in so long she felt the failure of what her actions had done. No, she knew she couldn't blame herself for the accident but she could, and did, take responsibility for losing Daichi.

Stumbling into her house she collapsed in a gasp as she hugged herself and the sobs finally took over her already trembling body. The tears wouldn't stop as she knelt there huddled and hugging herself.

Everything came crashing down on her then as she screamed, sobbed, and howled in pain from her losses, her failures, and her feeling of being lost. She wanted her Sesshomaru to come here and say something about moving forward still, but she didn't have the strength right now. Right now everything fell apart and she couldn't even catch it fast enough to fix it.

_Mama?_

* * *

Inuyasha was walking through the park in Tokyo holding his mate's hand as they enjoyed the sun set.

"It feels so good to be home," Kagome smiled.

"Yeah, been nearly a century since we left," Inuyasha chuckled. It was strange to think all of this had changed so greatly in the last century, but he had seen the change in the States while they had resided there, and he had seen it in Europe, and he had lived it. Unlike Sesshomaru who had fought in every war that there had been to be involved in since the turn of the century, Inuyasha had lived.

He had been pissed at his adopted home for the bombs on his homeland in WWII, he had seen the space race (and though he wouldn't admit it to his wife, it was by far the coolest thing ever), and he had watched with fascination as technology came about and evolved. It was all very fascinating. But after a century, he was very glad to be back home, as he watched his pups play like the children they looked like.

"You know, five hundred years and they look about ten," Kagome mused as they watched Haruto and Hoshi play.

"Yeah," he agreed.

"I want more, we're finally home again, I want a big family," Kagome declared.

"I thought we were waiting until 2016 when we could go visit your family again," he chuckled as he looked down at her.

"Well… yeah, but I mean, it's only eight years away, and I… I want a big family, with you, we're home again," Kagome pointed out.

"Alright," Inuyasha submitted, he knew that his pups aging would appear as normal children now that it was 'safe', and they would need to appear normal here. "So, did you hire that Noto you interviewed?"

"Noto Asami? Yes, I think… I… she reminded me of Rin," Kagome sighed.

"No!" he snapped.

"What!?" Kagome blinked.

"You are not to interfere; again, Kagome, he nearly lost it the last time you lied to him and tried to pass off a girl as Rin. Rin is not dead, she's not here, but she's not dead, and unless you want Sesshomaru jumping into a nuclear reactor this time, you will leave it alone!" he snarled as he spun her to face him.

"But…" Kagome started.

"No! You can 'sit' me through the earth and I will still tell you not to do this; especially with one of Kohaku's descendants, I can promise you that it won't work and he will kill someone," Inuyasha snapped.

"Fine, but what if Rin isn't coming back?" Kagome asked.

"Rin's coming back, when is unknown, but she'll be back; she's Sesshomaru's other half. I'd come back to you even after a thousand years, so she'll be back. Just not yet," Inuyasha sighed.

"I think we need to face the reality that she might not ever return," Kagome whispered.

"That's where you're wrong Kagome. She's coming home."

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	290. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 31

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Grief:** _Pain of Mind on Account of Something In the Past; Mental Suffering Arising From Any Cause, as Misfortune, Loss of Friends, Misconduct of One's Self or Others, etc.; Sorrow; Sadness…_

* * *

**Chapter 31**

Rin was no stranger to pain, loss, suffering or grief, and after a week of her emotional hell she had surrendered to her emotions and let them flow with everything.

It had been so long since she had last grieved, and she had lost so much. It all came crashing down on her. The faces of her family who's names she could no longer recall, A-Un, Jaken, Sesshomaru, Sango, Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo, Sōten, Kohaku, Izayoi, InuTashio, InuKimi, Masaru, the faces of the people she hadn't been able to save, the faces of the people she had killed; it all crashed into her and it was ripping her apart.

If it wasn't the liveliness within her of her pups she would have completely shattered, she would have let this crush her rather than just crashing into her as she cried. The tears never ceased to flow, and they were a reminder, a painful reminder, that she had failed, failed in the simplest ways. Even now she sat there trembling, staring at the warm sunset, dying the sky in oranges and pinks, it was glorious. The sound of the ground crunching under the weight of a car caught her attention as she furiously tried to dry her eyes and got to her feet; prepared for the 'leave now' talk.

"Hey," Ken'ichi said as he got out of the truck in a black suit. She held a little tighter on her hands as she tried not to apologize to him. Ken'ichi walked up to her, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he stopped and looked up at her. "You saved my sister, and her daughter."

"But…" she started.

"No," he said softly. "I have been trying to get up here all week to talk to you so you're going to listen Rin. Daichi was dead, the moment the car went over the edge of the road, internal bleeding; you couldn't have saved him even if you had pulled him from the wreck, so the way I see it my best friend died knowing his wife and child were safe, and he wasn't alone. You didn't fail him.

"Sachiko will see that, just not right now, and she has every right to see it however she sees it because for now she's feeling guilty. They were coming home because she wanted to, they were half way here when that storm hit, they continued driving here, and the way she sees it, it's either her fault for wanting to come home or your fault for living instead of Daichi.

"I don't blame you, and neither do my parents. Now, I came up here to see how you were doing since you are pregnant and you wouldn't go to the doctor, and I need to know that a girl I'm coming to consider as family is alright," he said calmly.

Rin felt her bottom lip tremble then she was in tears again. Ken'ichi had her wrapped up in a brotherly embrace and it stirred memories of her childhood of when her own brothers would do this. Clinging to him she wept, her knees gave out, which lead to Daichi scooping her up and carrying her into her house.

She was trying to tell him but no words were coming out between the sobs.

A glass floated to her, she saw her pup materialize again and she cried harder then as she sat on the floor and Daichi took the water and pressed it to her lips. For a long time she could only cry, and she couldn't seem to stop, finally she was gasping for breath as the sobs subsided.

"Better?" Ken'ichi asked as he stroked her hair.

She managed a hiccup and a nod.

"Good, I'm staying here tonight," he informed her.

Rin managed a nod as she saw her pup floating by them; as close as he could get without going through them.

"How are you kids?"

"Moving, very active," Rin sniffled her answer as she rubbed her eyes.

"Good," he sighed. "Two pregnant sisters is a lot of hormones and drama," he grumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

She stared at him.

"Do… do you really consider me a sister?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Yeah, I like you, and you're family, and I think you need to come talk to my parents, and maybe start coming down this damn mountain a bit more and getting to know the town a bit." He said.

"I… I haven't had a family in a long time," she whispered.

"You have me," he said.

_And me!_ Bakusaiga chirped.

Rin was in tears again, but they were happy tears as she sat there crying.

* * *

He scowled, he had scowered every known record he could access and he couldn't find a single fucking thing on Mikadzuki Rin! it was beyond infuriating as he slashed down the next young woman. Snarling he stalked out of the room, and started cleaning himself up.

He'd have to report this, pretend to get another scoop, beat the world in tracking ketsueki bureido. Growling he glared at a bloody blade. When he got to the 'survivor' of his killing career, he was going to slice her down like the delicate flower she was. Mikadzuki Rin was never going to stand a chance.

* * *

Taka Sachiko picked up her phone, dialed the number of her best friend and listened to it ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey Asami, I… I need you… here, something… something bad happened…" Sachiko trembled.

"Look, Sachiko I love you like a sister, but stop telling me to come back. I don't have time for your menial drama, I have to go, I have to get to work," Asami snapped and hung up.

Sachiko stood there trembling and the tears flowed as she fell onto her knees weeping. She needed her best friend, and Noto Asami had just hung up on her! The shattering pain she felt within her soul just about destroyed her, even as she felt the life within her kick her ribs furiously.

What had she ever done to deserve this brand of hell!?

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	291. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 32

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Grief:** _Pain of Mind on Account of Something In the Past; Mental Suffering Arising From Any Cause, as Misfortune, Loss of Friends, Misconduct of One's Self or Others, etc.; Sorrow; Sadness…_

* * *

**Chapter 32**

It was another week before she felt normal(ish), felt like there were no more tears or things in her which wanted to break and shatter or spill out. Ken'ichi had visited her every day, no particular reason other than to check in on her.

Today was no exception she guessed as she worked under the spotted sky and worked her fields. Bakusaiga was off exploring; he had taken a massive liking to the forest. Huffing out a breath Rin sat back on her heals, rubbed her swelling belly as the floppy straw hat bounced on her head. The crunching of rocks grabbed her attention as she slowly stood, not on balance but not off balance, and she looked at her drive. A red vehicle pulled up, and Rin tensed not recognizing it until a woman got out; her belly swollen as she stood there.

"Mikadzuki Rin?" she asked.

"Yes?" Rin tilted her head, her hands tightening on the hoe in her hands.

"I'm sorry!" the woman burst into tears. "You save me, but you… you couldn't save Daichi and I'm sorry!"

"Sachiko?" Rin guessed as she dropped the hoe and walked over to the woman. The taller woman yanked her into a firm hug which had Rin stiffening a bit.

"I just… I've had a really bad two weeks…" Sachiko sniffled.

"I understand," Rin whispered earnestly as her own tears filled her eyes and she slowly wrapped her arms around this woman for a hug. Sachiko sobbed, and Rin couldn't stop her silent tears, fully understanding the hell of being parted from someone you loved with everything there get if was.

"Ugh… I… I didn't mean to blubber," Sachiko whispered.

"It's fine," Rin said as they pulled apart. Sachiko wiped her eyes but the tears were still streaming.

"Ken'ichi…" she hiccupped then. "Ken'ichi said you were… you lost your husband too," she muttered.

"Um… it's complicated." Rin said as she wiped her own cheeks.

"I… I don't know if I can forgive you or myself… but Ken'ichi said you didn't have any friends, and I don't either, and… I… I want to try," Sachiko whispered.

"Um…" Rin felt very puzzled.

"I get if you hate me, I hate me," Sachiko murmured.

"No… I just…I've never had a girl friend other than Shiori and she's… she's gone," Rin murmured. She didn't even know if her friend was alive or dead, and the thought brought on a new onslaught of tears.

"Want ice cream? I brought ice cream," Sachiko said.

"Ice cream?" Rin hiccupped.

"Cures all women problems, even when not pregnant, and Ken'ichi said… he said you probably never had it," Sachiko explained.

"Sure," Rin decided. She'd try this ice cream. Sachiko walked to the other door of her car and grabbed a bag out of it before they walked into the house.

* * *

Sesshomaru walked off his private jet in London to be greeted by his mother and Jaken.

"Mother," he said tersely as he walked over to her, shoving his hands in his pockets because of the rain.

"Sesshomaru, is that any greeting for your mother?" InuKimi scolded. He did the 'European' thing and pecked her cheek then before she slid her arm in his and they walked to the car. Jaken hurrying after them. In the past five hundred years his relationship with his mother had vastly improved, he guessed it was because of Rin really. However since his mate's disappearance he and his mother had grown very close, but five hundred years and the missing of a pack mate was known to do that. Or, it was known to drive packs apart; like it had to him the first time nearly eight hundred years ago.

"Why did you not return to Japan?" InuKimi once they were settled in the car and Jaken was at the wheel.

"Hn," he grunted; he couldn't say that he had been about half way there before he ordered them to land and then make a route to London; again. It wasn't that he wanted never return home, he did, but the problem (aside from Kagome), was that home was a person and that person was still alive and missing.

"She's not dead Sesshomaru, stop grieving her," his mother sighed.

"I know she's not dead, but I also know she's not where she's supposed to be," Sesshomaru snarled lowly. Mates were supposed to stay together, and his was Kami knows where doing Kami knew what and he could barely feel her!

She was there, a flickering flame in the back of his mind, he could sense the basics of how she was: alive, alone, and hungry (yes, whenever he checked the bond he felt her being hungry; not starving but hungry; all the time in fact). But the point was, unlike before she had leapt down that fucking well, he always knew exactly where she was, how she was, and what she was thinking. Now, it was a flicker and it was the basics, he couldn't feel a pull to her anymore and that worried him. It was worrisome because while it didn't mean she was dead, it meant he might never find her, even if she came back to this time.

Bakusaiga missing was another ache in him which he couldn't ever seem to hide or prevent; he missed his pup. Missed the pup's smartass remarks and mischief.

"Sesshomaru, we will find her," InuKimi sighed.

"Because Masaru's Mikadzuki told us?" he asked.

"No, because it's Rin and she's the hardest human to kill," InuKimi smirked. He felt the corner of his lip twich, but it didn't because he still felt the hollowness of both her deaths in his soul, he couldn't survive it a third time.

"I heard Kagome hired you a new secretary, back in Tokyo," InuKimi said.

"Hn," he nodded.

"Give her and Kagome hell," InuKimi ordered.

Now he did smirk, for his mother had never changed in the thousand years he had lived. And he had a feeling he could live another five thousand and his mother was never going to change. Also, he happened to like giving hell to the descendants of Kohaku.

* * *

**Sorry for missing yesterday, my attention was diverted elsewhere. **

**Thats all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	292. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 33

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Grief:** _Pain of Mind on Account of Something In the Past; Mental Suffering Arising From Any Cause, as Misfortune, Loss of Friends, Misconduct of One's Self or Others, etc.; Sorrow; Sadness…_

* * *

**Chapter 33**

"What kind of friend does that!?" Rin spat out in disgust as she sat there on the porch with Sachiko spooning a huge container of ice cream. Seriously, how she had survived these past moons in the modern era without having tried this she didn't know. It was Cook Dough Ice Cream, and Rin was in nirvana. But her fury was at the story Sachiko had told her.

"I don't know," Sachiko agreed as she shoveled a bit of ice cream with more than necessary foce. Rin understood grief; and if she ever processed her own she was pretty certain that it would consume her.

"That is not a good friend at all," Rin avowed.

"The worst part is we have been friends since we were little girls! Children, you'd think, that despite her horrid break up with my brother she'd have some love for me still!

"She's a… a… a troglodyte!" Rin decided in her fury as she remembered a forgotten insult.

"She is! And if I ever see pretty Noto Asami's pretty face again I'm giving her two black eyes!" Sachiko declared.

"I'll hold her down so you can," Rin promised, Sachiko grinned then.

"Thank you," she decided.

"Of course," Rin said.

"You know, I don't know you really well, but I'm sure that you're a better friend than Asami ever was," Sachiko sighed as she leant back on her arms and rubbed her belly.

"When are you due?" Sachiko asked as Rin was about to take another bite of ice cream.

"Huh?"

"You baby, when are you due?"

"Um…" Rin was baffled; she didn't know, if she were to guess she was due in the autumn but she wasn't entirely sure.

"I'm due in October, I know it's mid-June and everything, but I'm… I'm no where near ready," Sachiko admitted with a sniffle. "Daichi and I were arguing about names before the trip, and what color to paint the nursery, no I… I don't know what to do…" she admitted miserably.

"My… husband doesn't… he doesn't even know," Rin admitted softly.

"What!? Why not?" Sachiko demanded. "Was he abusive? Are you hiding from him?"

"Um… complicated, no and I would never hide from him; I'm waiting for him," Rin huffed out.

"How complicated is complicated.

_Mama! Mama! Look what I found!_ Bakusaiga shouted as he materialized before them holding a ivory arrow tip in his claws grinning as he floated there.

"Holy Kami!" Sachiko yelped as she jolted away from Rin and Bakusaiga.

_Oh,_ the pup looked at her.

"Taka Sachiko, meet my… son, Mikadzuki Bakusaiga," Rin decided.

_How come before no one; not even stupid Aunt Kagome with all her spirit powers could see me and now everyone can!?_ Bakusaiga demanded.

"I don't know, if I did I would tell you," she assured her pup.

"Wha…What?" Sachiko whispered, she was pale as a sheet then and Rin sighed.

"I did tell you that my love life was complicated," Rin pointed out.

"But… I do not believe in ghosts!" Sachiko declared firmly.

_She's taking it better than Ken'ichi, he fainted. _Bakusaiga blandly pointed out as he crossed his legs and sat there levitating beside her. Rin just chuckled.

"I'm the mate of an Inu Daiyōkai, the current Inu no Taisho, his father was the Great Inu no Taisho, his mother was the defender of the Netherworld," Rin stated proudly.

"O-kay…" Sachiko blinked skeptically. "Let's say I believed you, and I'm not saying I do, how do you explain… Bakusaiga?... if your mate is real and you are too?"

"I come from a village, located about here, five hundred years ago, I leapt down a well to save my mate and future and I traveled through time. Now I am stuck in this era with no way to return to my mate, who my pup assures me is alive, so I have decided to return to where it all started and wait for my mate to return; because he will. My lord always comes for me," Rin smiled.

"You know, if I didn't happen to be looking at a green phantom who's smirking at me, I'd call you a liar and call the loony bin to come collect you," Sachiko warned her.

Rin's head fell back as she laughed.

"I do know how crazy I sound," she assured the other woman.

_The world is crazy, not you mama,_ Bakusaiga argued.

"Bakusaiga, I'm crazy, I leapt down a well and traveled through time, and now am stuck in the modern era, I'm crazy," she giggled. Her pup rolled his eyes.

"You know… I believe you," Sachiko decided.

"That's good, your brother does too," Rin chuckled as they resumed eating the ice cream. Rin loved the ice cream, she did, it was so damn good.

"So… Rin, what makes you think your… is it husband or mate? I'm not sure, your lover, is alive?" Sachiko asked her.

"I feel it," Rin admitted. Pulling her long hair off the nape of her neck she gave Sachiko a view of the old scar, the mark which bound her to her lord. "He marked me, and for as long as we live, I will always feel him as a part of me. But at the moment, we're both a bit lost."

"That sucks," Sachiko whispered.

"It does," Rin agreed.

_Mama, I'm going to go see Ken'ichi_, Bakusaiga decided.

"Stay out of sight though," Rin reminded him

_Hn_, he grunted then disappeared.

"You're not worried about him?"

"He's his father's son, worrying about him; though I do, is a bit pointless," Rin sighed. "I worry more about him giving your parents a heart attack."

"That would not be good," Sachiko agreed.

"No, it wouldn't," Rin agreed.

"I'm sorry for screaming at you that night," Sachiko murmured.

"If I had just lost my mate I'd scream too, I did too; the one time I thought I lost him," Rin admitted softly. She never wanted to feel that brief void again when she thought her lord had died.

"Really?"

"Yes, a part of me died the day I thought he died," she admitted.

"I just… I miss Daichi," Sachiko murmured. Rin took the woman's hand and gave it a light squeeze as they sat there in companionable silence staring out at the farm.

"I'm… I'm kind of glad I met you Rin," Sachiko murmured.

"I'm glad to have met you too, I'm sorry I did not save your husband."

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	293. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 34

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Grief:** _Pain of Mind on Account of Something In the Past; Mental Suffering Arising From Any Cause, as Misfortune, Loss of Friends, Misconduct of One's Self or Others, etc.; Sorrow; Sadness…_

* * *

**Chapter 34**

He had a finally tracked down one Mikadzuki Rin.

She had been a difficult creature to find, it appeared that she was of a minority who did not believe in using social media, and she also seemed to be a ghost. He was betting she paid cash for everything, and she lived quietly, probably some menial job, and she was camera shy. Not that it was deterring him as he tracked her down.

Starting at the Higurashi Shrine he had followed Mikadzuki to the country and now he was standing in a small village town, farming community and he could only feel disgust boiling in his gut. Why the hell would a woman come here?

Grumbling to himself he shouldered his bag; holding his katana as he walked towards the only inn in town.

Once he was in the seclusion of his inn room he pulled out his laptop and started combing through the minimal data he had on Mikadzuki Rin, no one in his business had been able to pull much up on her and that was truly an impossible task. Everyone had secrets, his was ketsueki bureido, so what was hers? He wanted to know, he wanted to know everything about her before he cut her into pieces and let his blade taste her blood. Smiling he continued looking at the information.

Mikadzuki Rin, age: 18, orphan, parents died in a car wreck, grew up in the system.

She was no one, and he'd make her… famous, he was going to stake her out for all of Japan to see and balk in horror at! Yes, Mikadzuki Rin was going to be his example, his master piece, his ultimate 'fuck you' to the police.

She would be such a beautiful piece, all slashed up and bleeding.

And a helpless doe like her would be an easy mark. After all, it wasn't like a woman could fight him off.

* * *

Rin walked with Sachiko down the drive then.

"How long do you intend to live here then?" Sachiko asked.

"As long as it takes my lord to find me," Rin admitted. She didn't know how long she was going to be here, but it appeared that she wasn't going to have much of a say in the matter.

"When are you due?" Sachiko asked.

"Um… I… I think in the autumn, I don't know," Rin admitted.

"You don't… oh, past, right," Sachiko hummed numbly.

"Bakusaiga says there's two in here, I'm not sure if they're boys or not though," Rin chuckled.

"Do you not have a doctor?" Sachiko asked.

"No, I'm carrying hanyō pups, I do not want to freak out a doctor with however these pups look," Rin admitted. She knew how varying a hanyō pup could look, she had seen many hanyos in her life and she didn't want her pups to be taken from her. And in this era she had a feeling that was possible.

"Really?"

"My mate is an inu daiyōkai, no he's not an actual inu, but the point is that his pups might have inu qualities," Rin explained briskly.

"Really? Like puppy ears in the managa!?" Sachiko demanded excitedly.

"What is a manga?" Rin asked seriously.

"Oh Rin, perhaps you and I will be the best of friends with your ignorance to this era," Sachiko mused.

"I am not completely ignorant," Rin protested. Sachiko lifted a brow. "Not completely in tune with this era, but I'm not ignorant about it. I had a friend from this era when I was growing up."

"Really? What was she like?" Sachiko asked.

_An idiot_, Bakusaiga replied as he materialized.

"EEK! Don't do that! pregnant women here, we don't want to go into labor!" Sachiko scolded.

"Kagome had a big heart, but she was a bit ignorant about my era," Rin smoothed over.

* * *

Sesshomaru sat there looking over the documents of his company, his mind idly tracing over his link to Rin, feeling her amusement over something and he wondered which era she was in currently. Was she with him? Or was she still falling through the well?

Sighing his head fell back as he wondered if he should go to the Hawaii branch and work there. He'd be closer to Japan, and maybe he could actually convince himself to return. It had been well over a century since he had left, but now… now he was wondering if he should actually go.

Seeing his family, his friends, it might help him, or it might drive him insane. Rin wasn't there, she was supposed to be there, and she wasn't. also, he had to wait until 2016 before he could go to the Higurashi Shrine to investigate the well, to prevent any fuck ups of the time line.

Sesshomaru's worst nightmare was that he'd do something and Rin would be erased from time. it was a terrifying thought, but it was about the only reason that at the turn of the twentieth century he had followed Kagome's rules about stay away from the well. He would not do anything to jeprodize Rin.

However, his compicants with her rule seemed to have given her the wrong impression about her being in charge of their pack. When Sesshomaru had Rin back where she belonged he would once again go about putting Kagome in her place.

After all, her pups and mate knew who was their alpha, and he knew what he could do to give her hell. And he was in charge of their entire pack, not just his immediate family. The phone rang then, he picked it up.

"Sesshomaru," he answered.

"Hello, I'm calling about the yōkai council meeting this month," a familiar voice said.

"Hn, the States again, it's safter there," he sighed as he leaned forward on his desk and rubbed his brow.

"Of course, I'll alert the heads of the clans."

"Shippo, have you trace Masaru?" he asked.

"No my lord."

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	294. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 35

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Grief:** _Pain of Mind on Account of Something In the Past; Mental Suffering Arising From Any Cause, as Misfortune, Loss of Friends, Misconduct of One's Self or Others, etc.; Sorrow; Sadness…_

* * *

**Chapter 35**

Standing there she just sighed. A week since her newfound friendship with Sachiko and Rin was feeling less lonesome. She didn't know why, but despite the pain and the grief she felt that this was all going to work out, it was going to be alright.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, that there was some force out there intent on hurting her, and it was why she was currently sitting here in the sunlight, the wind dancing through her long hair, as she inspected her crops with her fang on her hip. According to Sachiko it was summer, Rin agreed; the heat was immense.

Not to mention all the changes her body had undergone, she felt it. The summer heat was killing her back, killing her body, and her weight, and it was exhausting her as she sat on the balls of her feet and let her head fall back in a sigh. Between her back, her distended stomach, her overly sensitive breasts, and her feet, she hurt. She wanted to relax, but she was keeping her guard up. The crunching of the gravel had her standing as she turned to see who was coming towards her.

A white unknown car was coming which had Rin setting the fang down in the ground because she didn't want the stranger to notice it. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself in this era.

A burly man got out of the vehical.

"Hello?" he called out, slowly Rin rose from the plot of land she worked.

"What do you want?" she called out, not willing to get closer to him, or to move nearer to him.

"Ah, good morning Mikadzuki Rin, I'm Nori Kato, I'm a freelance reporter reporting on the ketsueki bureido, I heard you survived his attack and I wanted to ask you a few questions about it," he smiled politely and Rin felt something in her recoil.

"I'm sorry, I do not wish to speak to you, have a safe trip down the mountain," she said as she stood, taking her rake and Bakusaiga in her hand.

"But you were said to be the only known survivor of this horrific serial killer, the world has a right to know your story!" he argued as he started chasing her.

"The world has no right to me, and it is my story to tell or not tell, now leave. You are trespassing," Rin said tersely. In her time she could just threaten him to leave her be, but here she was finding she could not do her intial impulse and strike the threates down. Besides, she was pregnant and she had to consider the lives of her pups. They would need her, and she needed to be here for them.

"I beg to differ Mikadzuki, I know that there are many people out there who would love to hear your story," Kato persisted.

"No, now leave or I will call the police, or merely kill you, bury your body in the woods where they will never find you," Rin growled out when she watched him chase her. Stalking into her house she slammed the door on him and listened to him shout to the door. There was a kick on her door which had her grabbing a kitchen knife she had as she watched the door until she heard the car leave.

_Mama? Who was that? _Bakusaiga asked as he materialized.

"No one important," Rin whispered.

_Are you sure? I could go after him and poison him._ Bakusaiga pointed out as they stared out the window.

"No, just let him go," Rin whispered as she sat down and sighed in the cool air of her home. The heat was getting to her, but also, there was something bothering her at the moment.

_Mama?_

"I'm fine, just thinking," she assured her pup with a smile.

_Alright_, Bakusaiga shrugged, obviously unconvinced and she chuckled.

"The bulk of your siblings is throwing me off balance," Rin mused and saw her pup relax then.

_Oh._

"With you, it was just a matter of collecting everything I needed, and your father would summon you. I did not carry you in me, so this," she gestured to her belly. "Is new, and I don't know how long I'm to be pregnant. Hanyō pregnancies were an unknown in my era."

_But you're alright?_

"Yes," she assured her pup who hovered as close as he could without going through her as he sat there.

_I wish I could touch you, _he muttered.

"Me too," she whispered.

* * *

Sesshomaru looked at the name on his phone before answering it.

"Hn?"

"Is that any greeting for your favorite kitsune?" Shippo demanded.

"Hn," he grunted.

"I'm calling to tell you that there might be a problem with the annual meeting," Shippo sighed.

"What?"

"The ookami, Koga can't leave, and their pack is chasing their tails at the moment, he won't be making it," Shippo sighed.

"Ah," he managed.

"Also the Hyō family will be attending via video conference, business is booming for them," Shippo explained.

"Hn," he grunted.

"And there are no leads on Rin sir, Sōten when to the well last week as an undercover and she didn't find a trace of anything new," Shippo muttered.

"I see," he said in a strained voice. He knew that Shippo had never given up, he knew that the kitsune was still hunting for Rin, and his mate was in on the hunt. The kitsune and his mate, aside from Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru's mother and Jaken, were the only ones to fully believe that Rin was going to return and helped him get around Kagome's rules. "Do not let her strain herself in her condition."

"I didn't even know she had gone until this morning," Shippo sighed. "Rin's not dead, but she's missing and Sōten wants to help, but I'm worrying about her Sesshomaru. She's pregnant, she should not be running around looking for Rin. and I haven't stopped looking for her, but…"

"I understand, take care of your mate Shippo," Sesshomaru assured the young fox.

"Thank you my lord," Shippo breathed.

"Hn," he grunted as he hung up and sighed.

If this was what a missing mate felt like Sesshomaru would hate to know what a dead one felt like. Mentally he tried to reach Rin again, her force flickered slightly and he took comfort in even feeling her.

* * *

**Yesterday was the worst day ever, I sincerely doubt it could ever be beat, and I've had a real shitty few years so that's saying something. Yesterday was soul crushing, so I'm going to write a lot today.**

**Writing's not going to fix this feeling, but maybe I can get through this with writing. So bear with me.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same.**


	295. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 36

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Vantage:**_ A Position Offering A Superior View of a Scene or Situation; -Used Literally and Figuratively; As, From the Vantage of Hindsight; Also Called Vantage Point… _

* * *

**Chapter 36**

Rin sat at her table, she was looking at the borrowed laptop Ken'ichi had leant her when she had asked about the news, and the media. She had been out of touch for a while, but after having that freelance reporter stopping by she felt that it might be prudent to her wellbeing to rectify this mistake.

First she had started by searching the ketsueki bureido, the entire time she was twirling the forgotten detective card in her fingers as she read about the killer. It sent a shiver down her spine, but Rin wasn't scared of this killer. Rin was a far more vicious killer if she was provoked, and very few humans could scare her.

Second, she researched Nori Kato. There was something about that man which was bugging her and it was whispering in the back of her mind that she should be wary of him. This whisper in the back of her head was something she hadn't listened to as a child, but now that she was older, had seen more and nearly died a few times, this whisper was something she listened to. And right now every sense in her was screaming that Nori Kato was a threat she should and needed to eliminate.

"Hello?" a voice called out.

"In here," she called as she heard her front door open and the heavy waddling of Sachiko. Rin looked up from the computer then.

"Ken'ichi said you were interested in his computer," Sachiko mumbled.

"Ah, yes, these are… confusing but useful… thingies," Rin smiled as she hastily closed what she was searching.

"What's this?" Sachiko asked taking the card from Rin.

"A detective gave it to me in the hospital, I was just debating if I should call them to tell them that a reporter contacted me about their case," Rin admitted truthfully. She was warned; by both Ken'ichi and Sumiko that she couldn't just do whatever the hell she wanted in this era.

Though it'd make her life easir.

"Oh? Oh! You're that Mikadzuki Rin! They didn't post a picture with your name when they said you survived the stabbing," Sachiko said as she handed Rin the card again. "But that was back in Feburary, ketsueki bureido has killed ten girls since then. It's July now so why is this reporter so interested in you?"

"First, I was not stabbed by this ketsueki bureido, I was stabbed about eight hundred years ago by Setsuna no Takemaru, and that was his second attempt on my life. And second, I do not want to be dealing with a would be thrill killer who picks on the defenseless," Rin sighed.

"Oh, um… first, be scared of ketsueki bureido, it's normal. And second, you're really going to have to explain your life from start to finish to me one of these days so I have a reference of what's going on with you. And third, call the detective. Who was the reporter?"

"Nori Kato," Rin answered.

"He's good, he's on the investigative reporting stuff, and I've read his articles a few times," Sachiko admitted.

"I don't know, he seemed… off, to me," Rin sighed.

"Rin, he's a harmless, potbellied reporter," Sachiko dismissed.

"Sachiko, I grew up in an era where everyone was a killer, it was kill or be killed, and I'm a telling you that everything in me is screaming that there's something wrong with Mr. Nori."

"Alright, what bothers you about him?"

"that's the thing, I don't know, but I'm telling you that there's something very wrong about him, and we just don't know it," Rin assured Sachiko.

"I'm not dismissing your worries," Sachiko replied.

"Just be careful about him."

"I will, oh, and I've taken over the diner in town which means I am expecting you to be a weekly regular, or I'll come up this mountain and drag your ass down this mountain to come talk with me," Sachiko warned.

"Really?"

"You might kick ass, but my skillet beats your ass kicking any day of the week," Sachiko grinned.

"Alright," Rin chuckled.

"Good," her friend mused.

_Can I go?_

"No!" she and Sachiko sighed tiredly when Bakusaiga materialized.

_Fine,_ the pup pouted.

* * *

He had found her!

He had finally found Mikadzuki Rin! Oh, and he was going to savor killing this one, he was going to enjoy it like a rare meal. she would be delectable, she was so small, so slight, and so weak. It was obvious that she would be an easy target, her condition would impede on her ability to move about, to even fend him off, but he liked it when his women cowered in fear and trembled before him as he stood over them about to slice them to bit. Mikadzuki Rin would never be able to fight him off!

In his zest for finding her he had almost slipped up, and even when she had delievered her threat to kill him he had almost slipped up and lunged for her.

But killing her would require all his skill, his artistic insight, and his patience if he was to truly make her a master piece of his.

And even better, the dumb bitch was pregnant, husband-less, and alone on that mountain. He had the vantage here and he was going to fully exploit it. But first he was going to have fun stalking her, to savor the terror he could inflict on her, and then, just when she felt she was about to lose her mind he'd strike her down.

Mikadzuki Rin didn't know it yet, but she was living her last weeks as a living woman, and he was going to savor the beauty of her death.

Mikadzuki Rin was going to be his master piece.

Of this he was certain, now he just had to contain his excitement about this descover and decision.

* * *

**About the news I received the other day that has crushed my soul; my dog, the Fluffinator, has cancer, and it's highly aggressive. Yes, my family and I are going over treatment options for him, but the news is soul crushing. I'd gladly trade places with my dog at this point because this shouldn't be happening, he's not even nine years old and the sweetest, happiest dog I've ever met and/or owned. He's also my dad's service dog, so he means the world to us.**

**When I say I'd gladly trade places with the dog, and take the cancer instead, I mean it. This dog is the best dog ever, and he should live a long and happy life.**

**For now I'm writing, researching treatment options and talking it over with my family and vets.**

**Here's hoping for the best and thanks for the support.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same.**


	296. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 37

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Vantage:**_ A Position Offering A Superior View of a Scene or Situation; -Used Literally and Figuratively; As, From the Vantage of Hindsight; Also Called Vantage Point…_

* * *

**Chapter 37**

A lot had changed these past five hundred years, and he meant a lot.

First he was the leader of the kitsune, which was odd enough, but his mate was the leader of the revived thunder yōkai, and that was a shock. But more than that there were new revelations.

One, Masaru, the moment the war was done, had smiled as he finished his part and then disappeared in flames. Which had infuriated Sesshomaru because the only parting words from that fox made no sense.

And second, Sesshomaru was supreme over all yōkai, daiyōkai, or hanyō. There was no disputing this face, it was an undisputable fact of their lives. If Sesshomaru said jump, they said how high, and if he ordered them to die, they would watch him carry out the execution.

After the war a lot had changed, but the one unspoken fact of all the yōkai clans was that Sesshomaru was their leader, he was the most powerful daiyōkai, and his mother had named him her successor the moment the war was over. Sesshomaru was essentially King of the World; and that was not something to be taken lightly.

Sesshomaru had tamed the world, every subspecies of demon or yōkai there was out there, Sesshomaru was the most respected living creature and it was instinctive on the part of yōkai and demons. They followed the strong, Sesshomaru was the strongest, and the few times there had been a challenger Sesshomaru had always cut them down faster than anyone could react.

'Lord Fluffy' as his kits called their honorary uncle, was the most lethal living force on this planet, even rivalling gods.

"Hey," a soft voice murmured as a clawed hand slid on his shoulder and she slid around him.

"Hey," he smiled as she slid into his lap.

"What is it?" she murmured.

"I just… I miss Rin," he admitted.

"Shippo, she isn't dead," Sōten said softly.

"I know, it's just, it's Rin, she was a hell of a human, and I miss her. she was a good friend," he admitted as he rested his brow on his mate's brow.

"I know how much she meant to you, and to Sesshomaru, and we're going to find her. Shiori is going to visit the shrine next week to see if she can sense Rin. I know Toran didn't sense Rin when she last checked, but it was months ago, things might have changed," Sōten reminded him.

"It's not that, it's… she shouldn't have leapt down the well," Shippo admitted.

"She'd have done it for you, so what's to stop her from doing it for Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Nothing, and that's the scary thing about Rin," he sighed.

"Hey, we're going to find her, and in eigh years when Kagome leaps down the well that last time, it's open season on the well," Sōten pointed out.

"I know, I just… I want to find her before… before Kagome seals the well," he admitted.

"We'll find Rin, she's going to come home. She always comes home," Sōten murmured as she kissed him.

"Is it too quiet or is that just me?" Shippo asked as he listened to the silence of their apartment.

"Too quiet," Sōten agreed. "Kids!"

* * *

"Well, if you have google why don't you google your mate and go to him?" Ken'ichi suggested as Rin looked over the information she had on Nori Kato, it was not much to go on but Rin didn't like what it was meaning as she looked it over.

She twisted around to look at Ken'ichi then.

"I could do that?" she asked as she stopped her hunt into Nori Kato.

"Uh… right, not this era. Yes, you can, what's your mate's name?" Ken'ichi asked as he stood, pausing the game he'd been playing with Bakusaiga.

_You can find my papa!?_ Bakusaiga demanded.

"He can play video games with ease but can't google his father, there's a joke in there," Ken'ichi mused, Rin just shoved the laptop to Ken'ichi then.

"Name?" he asked.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Rin smiled. Ken'ichi typed and she watched him. she frowned at the drawing images she saw as he scrolled through the image results.

"Well… I'm all for marrying fictional characters, but Rin… I know you couldn't have married a manga character from the manga InuYasha," Ken'ichi said.

"It looks similar to him," Rin muttered looking at the drawing.

"Bakusaiga do you know your father's last name?" Ken'ichi asked.

_No_, the pup shook his head and Rin blinked as she tried to think it over.

"Why not?"

_We've had many surnames, I get them jumbled, I'm five hundred years old,_ the pup pointed out.

"Right, and if yōkai live as long as you say he'd have a lot of fake names," Ken'ichi muttered.

"Daiyōkai," Rin corrected.

"Whatever, do you have anything else to go on?" Ken'ichi asked her.

Rin rubbed her temples as she tried to think of names Sesshomaru was likely to use but she was coming up with nothing and it was starting to frustrate her as she snarled.

"No."

"Hey, it's alright, we're going to find Sesshomaru," Ken'ichi said as he touched her shoulder and she sighed.

"I just want to go home," she admitted.

"Know the feeling, but we're going to figure this out. And why are you researching a Nori Kato?" Ken'ichi asked.

"He was here earlier this week wanting my story about the attack I survived from a ketsueki bureido," Rin grumbled.

"Wait? The serial killer in Tokyo?" he asked.

"What is a serial killer!?" Rin demanded.

"A very bad person who kills many people for pleasure," he explained. Rin had a feeling that was a simplified incorrect description of a serial killer, but she could overlook it at this moment.

"Oh, well, I was not attacked by this ketsueki bureido, the police decided I was," she admitted.

"Then who attacked you?" he asked.

"Setsuna no Takemaru, but that was… I think eight centuries before now," she answered.

"Wait, the warlord?" he asked.

"Yes, why?"

"If we can't find your mate in the modern era, then maybe we can track him through history to the modern era and find him. Setsuna no Takemaru is a tall tale, it's a myth, about a demon, a princess, and a powerful lord, or something," Ken'ichi said.

"That's a myth?" she asked.

"Yeah, let me work," Ken'ichi waved her off, and Rin watched her pup quiver excitedly.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same. =)**


	297. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 38

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Vantage:**_ A Position Offering A Superior View of a Scene or Situation; -Used Literally and Figuratively; As, From the Vantage of Hindsight; Also Called Vantage Point…_

* * *

**Chapter 38**

Ken'ichi was doing research for her about Sesshomaru and she was going to let him be, there wasn't much Rin knew about this era or it's tools so she was going to let him work in peace without her hovering over his shoulder. But she really wanted to hover.

She wouldn't.

Even if Ken'ichi didn't find her mate she wasn't going to stress about it because she would find Sesshomaru in time, or he'd find her in time. Either was a possibility for her, because Rin had no doubts that Sesshomaru was looking for her. Her mate was a painfully stubborn soul and he wouldn't quit until he had either succeeded in his task, or he had failed. And should he fail he got up and attacked the problem from a different angle. Which was why, she wasn't worried about not being found by her mate, it was only a matter of time in her mind.

Walking through the small village she felt exposed as she examined the town she now lived in and Sachiko had told her to visit.

Suddenly being a hermit had it's appeal to Rin as she looked around the small buildings in the sweltering heat of the summer. Her floppy straw hat on her head and flip-flops on her feet as she walked around in a sundress; pants were getting to be a hassle with her belly.

"Rin! I'm glad you came," Sachiko called out and Rin turned to smile at the voice.

"I thought I should… see, my village and how it changed," she admitted. Truthfully this village was located almost exactly where her village had been before Koga had invaded and slaughtered them. She saw the river, and despite the centuries between her time and now, that rive hadn't changed.

"That's good," Sachiko said as they walked into a cool building, Rin sighed at relief from the heat.

"Is this…?" Rin started to ask.

"Yes, it's my diner," Sachiko replied.

"It's lovelier than I thought," she replied as she looked around, taking her floppy hat off; she was really liking her floppy hat.

"Thanks, now, what can I get you to eat, I'm starved," Sachiko informed her.

"Anything, I am also starving, why do babies make us so hungry?" Rin growled as she scowled at her belly. She was always hungry, she blamed Sesshomaru; this appetite had to be from him and his inu heritage.

"I don't know," her friend sighed. "When I figure it out I'll tell you," she mused.

"Deal," Rin nodded.

"So how are things going up at your place?" Sachiko asked as they were seated and an order placed.

"Fine, there's a harvest soon, replant and do one more harvest before the frost comes," Rin replied. She remembered her father doing this and she was going to follow his lead in this matter. Also, it helped that the Yuno family was helping her. Kazuo had started coming up the mountain for her once a week, and Ken'ichi was there every other day.

"You're going to be very pregnant then," Sachiko pointed out.

"I'm very pregnant now, I can't remember what my feet looked like," Rin chuckled.

"Me neither. Oh, just so you know there's a creepy guy, Nori Kato, who was asking about you in town, no one said anything mostly because you're sort of… a shut in," Sachiko informed her as they had their meals placed before them.

"What was he asking?" Rin asked nervously. She could feel a swell of panic forming in her and it had everything in her going on offense rather than defense. Her mind was formulating plans to eliminate the threat to her person and she would keep her family safe.

"Just weird stuff, I didn't answer him, and no one could," Sachiko admitted.

"Weird stuff?"

"Did you have yakuza ties? Why were you so secretive? Are you trained in combat?" Sachiko rattled off.

"No, because, and yes," Rin answered which had Sachiko grinning.

"I didn't answer."

"Good."

"Besides, I figured if you really are a yakuza princess in hiding you wouldn't be hiding and working on a farm," her friend dismissed.

"Never know, the best place to hide at times is in plain sight," Rin mused as she repeated a lesson from Inuyasha. She wasn't one to hide anyway, everyone naturally over looked her so why would she hide?

"Just thought you weren't the hiding type," Sachiko mused.

"I'm not, but when I do hide no one will find me," Rin chuckled deviously.

"I figured," Sachiko shrugged.

Rin spent the next hours chatting with Sachiko and wandering the village with her friend. It wasn't a large village, the nearest schools were an hour by bus, and another half hour to the middle school. It wasn't a bad spot though, Rin noticed the children laughing and having fun and she guessed that this was a quiet place to wait, and she could live with quiet.

She liked quiet.

"So, how different from your time?" Sachiko asked her.

"Very, but it's… it's a good kind of different. But I still do not like the carriages everyone races around in," Rin pointed as a red vehicle zipped by then.

"Oh, they're not too bad," Sachiko winced.

"If we were meant to go that fast then we would," Rin countered.

* * *

The elusive Mikadzuki Rin was out this fine day and Kato could feel his blood boiling in anticipation. He'd spent a week planning how he was going to get to her, and it was perfect. Hiking had had him stumbling on the perfect trail which lead him straight to Mikadzuki Rin's home.

He'd kill her and leave her displayed artistically and no one would even be any the wiser than he'd kill her because Nori Kato was leaving tomorrow. Mikadzuki Rin would die two day after tomorrow.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	298. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 39

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Vantage:**_ A Position Offering A Superior View of a Scene or Situation; -Used Literally and Figuratively; As, From the Vantage of Hindsight; Also Called Vantage Point…_

* * *

**Chapter 39**

July seventh, that's what today was according to the television news, Rin thought it was amusing how this era counted every day and had divided the seasons into months, and how everything revolved around dates. In her era it had been seasons, moon cycles, and the temple calendars and even then not every day was numbered. It was new to her, but she was finding it to be helpful in a way.

Yesterday had been a fun day in town, she had stayed with Sachiko and gotten the lay of the land, she had a good idea of the advantage of knowing her land and suroundings would be. After all, she didn't know what might come for her in this era.

Rin looked at the news as it ran on it's cycle and she chuckled a bit as it started talking about a business man who's image was a blur.

"_And in other news, it is said that the Narita Family is finally returning to Japan, after a decade away the younger son of the Narita family, Narita Isamu and his wife, Narita Kazue are returning at long last. With his wife, son and daughter the return is monumental to the Narita company. It is not yet known if the eldest Narita will be returning or not…_" the television continued.

Rin chuckled seeing the blurred images of the family walking away from what she now knew to be an airplane.

"Hey Rin," a voice called out at her entry.

"Sachiko? What are you doing driving in this weather?" Rin demanded as she heaved her bulk up and stared at Sachiko dumbly.

"I drove," another voice announced and she relaxed hearing Ken'ichi.

"Yeah, and mom and dad were worried about you, so we've brought you some supplies for the week just in case the road washes out," Sachiko explained.

"Oh, that was… thoughtful?" Rin conceded. She wasn't certain that she would be worried about a washed out road but she saw the value of being prepared.

"Good, and we've decided you need this, I'm here to show you how it works while Sachiko is going to heat up a meal for us," Ken'ichi announced as he produced a black thing. Rin just blinked as she took it and examined it.

"What is it?"

"A cellular phone, and you're going to know how this works and how to use it before I leave here," Ken'ichi informed her.

"Huh," she managed as she sat at her table with him.

It was an annoying device used for communication, rather like the land line she had that she wanted to destroy. But she didn't because she was told it went in her pocket and she was to use it when she needed to talk or was in trouble. Rin thought it annoying.

* * *

He stared at her house against the dark and smiled as the rain poured over him. There were others with her but he had decided that it made it all the more interesting if he had to kill more than just her. the brutal painting of her blood would serve as a perfect reminder to the authorities that they were never going to capture him!

He was the perfect killer, he was disciplined and he was focused, and he never met anyone smarter than himself.

Now it was time to remind Japan that they were helpless against him.

Smiling he drew his blade as he slipped through the tall grass, rain, and water to the house's power before he sliced it on a crack of thunder.

They'd never expect him.

* * *

"So I use this to call you, and this to end the call?" Rin asked as she examined the device in her hand.

"Yes, and call if you need anything at any time, my number is the first one, Sachiko's is the second, Dad's is the third and Mom's is the fourth, you can add numbers as you make friends, and I'll walk you through that when the time comes," Ken'ichi said as she looked at the device.

"Thank you," Rin decided.

"Where's Bakusaiga?" Ken'ichi asked.

"Playing in the forest, he likes hunting, but I have his fang here so he can't go too far," Rin smiled as she lifted her fang then.

"Ah," Ken'ichi chuckled and then the light in her house flickered before they were plunged into blackness on the crack of thunder.

"That's weird," Ken'ichi muttered, Rin just tensed.

"Ken'ichi do you have a light?" Sachiko asked, and Rin's eyes were rapidly adjusting to the darkness they found themselves in.

"Yeah, here," Ken'ichi said and his cell phone was then producing light.

"My battery died," Sachiko grumbled as she took his phone and a sound had Rin's head snapping over her shoulder as she slowly moved to be on the balls of her feet with the fang ready to slip it's sheath.

"Rin?" Ken'ichi asked.

"Go to the kitchen with Sachiko," she whispered, something in her was screaming that there was a threat here and when she felt the a draft in her house she knew as she spun up on her feet and slashed Bakusaiga letting the green fenomous light of her son's fan illuminate the surrounding area.

"It's time to die Mikadzuki Rin," a voice growled.

"What the hell!?" Ken'ichi scrambled up on his feet, and Rin smirked.

"I'm not very good at dying or staying dead," she taunted and saw the flash of silver which had her twisting around as metal sang then, and she heard Ken'ichi scrambling away.

"What the hell!?" the intruder yelped and Rin recognized the voice. "How could you?"

"Nori Kato?" she whispered as the weight was off her.

"You will not win!" the man shouted. "I am Ketsueki Bureido! I will kill you!"

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	299. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 40

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Vantage:**_ A Position Offering A Superior View of a Scene or Situation; -Used Literally and Figuratively; As, From the Vantage of Hindsight; Also Called Vantage Point…_

* * *

**Chapter 40**

Rin heard Ken'ichi running, she heard Sachiko's startled cry but none of that mattered as Rin glared into the eyes of a man who was a killer and felt a thrill run up her spine.

Pregnant or not Rin hadn't let her skills with a blade fade, she had honed her skills since she had started her training, and she wasn't going to let them wane with her time here in this era. Rin wasn't going to let herself be defenseless.

"I'm Sesshomaru-sama's Rin, I have been yielding a blade in service of my lord since he started training me, and I will not die!" Rin shouted as she slammed her knee into the man, spun around a bit off balance as she slashed through the man's shoulder. He grunted in pain and Rin moved back as he spun up slicing his blade for her.

It didn't catch her, but she hear the whistle of the metal around her head as she went low, her hands held the hilt of her blade with a surety of experience as she came up stabbing the man in the gut. He grunted as he stumbled back and she with drew her blade in a slice. Bakusaiga's fang slicing him like butter as the blood splayed over her and the floor. She stepped back as the larger man staggered.

There was a rage in his eyes as he lifted his blade determinedly, she smiled coldly then as she licked her lips and spun her blade up.

Everything within her was ready for his next move, she had fought bigger, better, meaner, and more dangerous than this man and she wasn't going to die just because he thought it was time for her too.

He lunged for her, metal sang as she blocked his move and lashed out a kick at his groin which had him crumbling as he moved to hit her belly where her pups were resting. Rin twisted away, she cried out when he hit her hip, she could feel the blood sliding down her hip then as she finished her twist. She was behind him, her fang raised and with all her strength she struck downwards as her fang slid through his neck.

The man gurgled for a moment as his blade clattered to the ground, his hand grabbing his throat before he fell, his head rolling off his shoulders then. a shuddering breath left her bloodied lips as she stood there trembling, the blood; his blood and hers', sliding over her and had her tensing.

A sound had her spun around, her blade poised. She would defend her lord's pups, and herself, she would not fail Sesshomaru.

The lightning illuminated two of her friends and she sighed as she let Bakusaiga fall limply in her loose fingers.

"Oh Kami," she shuddered.

"What the hell?" Ken'ichi whispered, Sachiko bolted and Rin heard the wretching.

"There's a card, a Detective Yuuki or Tanaka, call them, I have their trash," Rin whispered as she found the card and then she stumbled outside on shaky feet as she stood in the rain feeling the hot, sticky blood washing over her as the cool rain slid over her.

A shuddering breath escaped her and she sighed.

Fighters from this era were pathetic, it was her only thought on the matter as she let the rain wash over her and cleanse her trembling soul.

The tears slipped her guard then too.

* * *

Ken'ichi stared at the beheaded body as the phone rang and he could only feel awe for what Rin had done. He'd only seen sword fights in movies, and in anime (but in anime they were so dramatic and over exaggerated that it was impossible to think of those as sword fights), and what he'd just witnessed was a brutal efficianty at killing.

Rin had been sure, she'd been swift, and she hadn't wasted a moment with a fancy move. She had taken down the killer intent on slaughtering them in a matter of moments, he doubted even a trained service man could have done what she did and still be standing at the end of it.

"Detective Tanaka," a voice answered.

"I'm Yuno Ken'ichi, I am a friend of Mikadzuki Rin's," he said softly.

"Is she alright, did she remember anything that could help us with our case?" the man.

"My sister Taka Sachiko, myself, and Mikadzuki Rin were attacked tonight by ketsueki bureido," he said unsteadily.

"We're on our way, we are tracing the call right now," the man said.

"Don't bother hurrying, ketsueki bureido is dead, Rin killed him defending my sister and I," he murmured.

"What?" the man stuttered.

"Please come, but ketsueki bureido is dead," Ken'ichi said softly.

"We have your location, we'll be there as soon as we can," the man said and hung up. Ken'ichi just stared at the bloody sight and he had to admit he was impressed. Walking out of the room he walked to Rin's dresser, grabbed a bag for her, and threw some of her clothes into it. He saw Sachiko sitting stunned on the kitchen floor and he helped her up.

"She just killed him," Sachiko whispered.

"To save us," Ken'ichi murmured calmly.

"I know, I just… I've never seen that," she admitted.

"Me neither, we're going to bring Rin and Bakusaiga with us down the mountain Sachiko, please get in the car, I'll collect Rin and Bakusaiga," he said softly.

"Yeah," Sachiko dazedly agreed as she waddled to the car. Ken'ichi stopped when he stared at Rin standing there bloody and in the rain pulling off his jacket he walked over to her.

"Come on, Rin," he said softly as he lightly took Bakusaiga from her fingers and rested the jacket on her small frame.

"I didn't want to kill him. I'm a healer, I don't like killing," she whispered.

"Hey, you saved me, and Sachiko, I don't care if you killed. But we need to get you and the pups out of the rain, cleaned off, and dried off, and some sleep, then the detectives I called should be here," Ken'ichi said as he guided her to the car.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You'd do the same," he assured her.

* * *

**To the Guest asking for multiple updates a day... I do that, frequently, but not for one story at a time anymore. Sorry, but I'm being good again and this is back on daily updates.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	300. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 41

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Solitude:**_ A State of Being Alone, or Withdrawn From Society; A Lonely Life; Loneliness…_

* * *

**Chapter 41**

_Mama_, a voice whispered in the darkness which had her looking up in the black of the guest room she was sleeping in as she saw her glowing green pup.

"Bakusaiga," she whispered. "Oh Kami! You're alright!" she reached out for her pup only to slip through him and they both sighed as she sat up and rubbed her belly.

_What happened?_ Bakusaiga asked.

"I killed a man who was trying to kill Sachiko, Ken'ichi and I," she answered. "Where were you?"

_Huh?_

"I thought… I thought you and the fang…" Rin gestured to his sheathed fang; which she would have to clean of the blood.

_Oh. Oh! Um… the fang is my… anchor point? I can only go so far before I can't go somewhere, the range is wide so I can wander pretty far; it's why I materialize at will rather than floating with the fang all the time like Sō'unga's sheath had to… Sya I think. I'm Bakusaiga, I'm the fang and I'm me. You don't need me for the fang to be used and lethal, and if me is there, phantom me, then I'm a defensive shield, and that only works against things like Sō'unga or Tetsusaiga. I don't know if I could stop a bullet, that'd be cool if I could, I can stop mystic arrows, but just so you know, that hurts; a lot, Kagome's shot me when we were practicing, and I don't like it. Against a human swordsman… I don't need to be there._ Bakusaiga explained.

"Huh, so you're in two places at once, there's you, and there's the fang," Rin mused.

_Yup, the fang also is like a homing beacon, though it took me a while to track it this time. I didn't think you were down the mountain,_ he admitted shyly.

"I'm just relieved that you're safe," Rin sighed as she leaned against the pillows and the wall as she looked at her pup.

_Are you alright?_ The pup asked as he floated before her with crossed legs and concerned amber eyes.

"Fine, Yuno Airi patched me up just fine, there's nothing wrong with me, and in another week I'll be fine," she assured the pup.

_Good._

"Did you have fun exploring the forest?" Rin asked and her pup launched into a thorough account of everything he had done and seen and smelt and he promised that he wasn't leaving her immediate area again until his brothers were all grown up and she didn't need help. Rin just chuckled at his solemn tone and the look he gave her which was so Sesshomaru it was endearing.

"Bakusaiga, I'll be fine, as I told Nori Kato, I'm not good at dying or staying dead, you don't need to hover over me the entire time," she tried to assure her pup.

_No, but I'm staying close. Father will never forgive me if something happens to you or them, and while this form isn't much protection I will be staying around,_ he assured.

"You're going to do that thing your father does and hover despite what I say," she yawned.

_Yup_, the pup nodded.

"When Sesshomaru and I meet up again we're having a serious talk about what of his bad habits he can and cannot teach you and your siblings," she mused.

_You really think father is going to meet up with us again?_

"Yes I do, your father is the most stubborn, determined, and loyal daiyōkai there is, he's coming home. And when he finds us, we'll be waiting," she assured her pup as she felt her eyes drooping. Pregnancy was sapping her of her energy and with how her hip was throbbing she wasn't inclined to move from where she was sitting as her hands rested on her dome of a belly.

She was safe.

Bakusaiga was safe.

Her pups were still dancing within her.

Everything was alright in her mind as she let sleep consume her and she felt safe for a moment. Tomorrow she'd have to deal with Nori Kato some more.

* * *

"Anything?" he asked as he walked up to the kitsune who was waiting for him.

"Nothing, Shiori found nothing at the well, and Higurashi wasn't inclined to speak to her about the reasons for boarding up the well," his companion said.

"She's back," he finally said.

"How do you know?" the kitsune asked.

"I can feel it in my heart Shippo. Sesshomaru only knows she's alive, but I can't shake this nagging feeling she's back and we're all like ships in the night," he admitted.

"Even if she was back, and I'm not saying she is, Inuyasha, why wouldn't she seek out Sesshomaru?" Shippo asked as they stared out at Tokyo.

"The first time I came to this era I was overwhelmed, sights, scents, sounds, it was all so much; it's not anymore, we've watched it grow into this, but I'm betting if Rin came through the well she was overwhelmed," Inuyasha said thoughtfully.

"So where do we look?" Shippo demanded.

"I don't know, Rin's going to be good about staying off the grid so maybe we spread out and look in the country sides, don't look in the city. If she's here I'm betting that she managed to slip out into the country side, it'd be where she's most at home," Inuyasha aditted thoughtfully.

"And Sesshomaru?" Shippo asked.

"We tell him nothing, after all the false leads Kagome's had him chase we don't tell him anything until we have a solid lead or location on Rin," Inuyasha said firmly.

"I don't get why he doesn't use the bond to find her," Shippo muttered.

"Because she's not a yōkai, she's not human anymore giving them a stronger bond than most, but she's not yōkai, I get why he can't find her. I've had this problem with Kagome when she's gone missing those few times," Inuyasha sighed.

"Alright, I'll have my clansmen out in the country start searching, perhaps the tengu could help too."

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	301. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 42

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Solitude:**_ A State of Being Alone, or Withdrawn From Society; A Lonely Life; Loneliness…_

* * *

**Chapter 42**

Rin groaned with great reluctance when there was a knock on the door.

"Hm?" she hummed.

"Rin, Detectives Tanaka and Yuuki are here," Airi's voice informed her and Rin moaned as she slowly opened her eyes. She wasn't a heavy sleeper, but with the excitement of last night, and her pregnancy… she was out like a rock.

"I'm coming," she yawned as she slowly moved her bulk to her feet and she walked out of the room, her hair was no doubt a long tangled mass, she looked like a wreck, and she probably looked half dead. But honestly Rin just wanted everything over with, she wanted to return to Ushinawareta-ka and return to the life she was trying to make in this era. It wasn't going to be easy though.

"Good morning," she yawned again as she walked out on the porch where she saw both detective's eyes, like magnets, go straight to her belly.

"Um, the doctor never said you were raped," Tanaka started. Rin sighed as she propped herself up on a support beam.

"I wasn't, this, is the work of my… lover," she answered.

"Ah," Yuuki nodded.

"Now, I understand I have questions to answer," Rin sighed as she slowly sat on the edge of the porch because her ankles were swollen and her feet hurt.

"How have you been Rin?" Tanaka asked her as he sat beside her.

"I've been adapting, and hungry, so hungry, you would not believe how hungry," she admitted.

"Yeah, my wife was always eating when she was pregnant," Tanaka chuckled.

"We need to know what happened last night, Yuno Ken'ichi and Taka Sachiko already filled us in on their story but we're going to need your statement, and then the ME will take the body for examination, and we'll be out of your hair," Tanaka assured her.

"No annoying idiots with cameras asking stupid questions?" she asked remembering everything that happened on that stupid talking box.

"No, Tokyo wants this to go away and none of our bosses want it advertised that you killed a prolific serial killer in case that makes you a target for the ones who were 'fans' of this monster's work," Yuuki growled the last part and Rin sighed.

"I can handle whatever comes my way, but I do not like pushy people wanting to put me on the stupid talking box for others to gawk at," Rin decided.

"Don't worry about it," Tanaka chuckled. "No one will know you were the killer of the serial killer, Nori Kato. Now, can you tell us what happened?"

Rin sighed as she opened her mouth and everything came pouring out, she couldn't stop it as she told Tanaka and Yuuki everything. About how Nori Kato came up to her, about how he made her uncomfortable, how she had avoided him and kept her head down.

She spoke of the previous night, not with ease, but she spoke cold and swiftly as she told the facts, she even moved the sweat pants Ken'ichi had leant her, down and showed them the slash she had on her hip. They asked about how she had been trained, she told the truth, her guardian felt she should know how to fight. Rin pulled her weapon out, drew the blade, which would need cleaning, the detectives took photos of it, asked if they could take it, Rin stated that it was a family heirloom and she was not letting go of the only link to her family. Neither detective fought her on this matter especially when she demonstrated some of the basic moves, proving she knew how to use it efficiently.

"And you just sliced off his head, one stroke?" Yuuki clarified at the end.

"Yes, I have never done that but I was taught how just in case the time should ever come and I need too," Rin said as she gently sheathed Bakusaiga.

"You take very good care of that weapon, my grandfather had one, and it wasn't nearly this well taken care of," Tanaka said as she handed him the fang.

"I put my life on that weapon, I will give it the best care I can to assure myself of my faith in the weapon. If it was poorly taken care of then that would speak more on me than the weapon, for a weapon is only as useful as the one wielding it," she stated.

"Too true," Yuuki mused.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" Rin asked as she took Bakusaiga back.

"No, but we'll be back again, follow ups and stuff," Tanaka said.

"I see," she frowned.

"I was told you pulled Sachiko out of a wreck last month or so?" Yuuki said.

"Yes, I couldn't leave her in her car to die," Rin stated tartly.

"You're a brave woman Mikadzuki Rin, ever thought of going into first responders or something, people in the city could use someone like you," Tanaka said.

"No, I am not one for bravery, I just do what needs to be done, nothing more, nothing less," she assured them as she walked them to their car.

"Alright, well, thanks, we'll keep in touch Rin," Tanaka decided.

"Thank you," she smiled as he took the phone she owned and was using it.

"Alright, you take care, and stay out of trouble, no more fighting serial killers and things like that," Tanaka stated firmly.

"I try not to chase trouble, Detective, it just always happens to know where I am," she mused with a smiled.

"We have to go file our report, your place should be cleaned up within the next few days, we'll call when it's released from being a crime scene," Yuuki said as they ducked into the car and Rin watched them go. The moment she was alone she rubbed her hand over her belly and sighed.

This era was so weird, it was baffling that Kagome was even some what sane!

Walking back into the house Rin felt exhausted again as she walked back to the guest rom and laid down again.

* * *

**Just a reminder, Rin is from 500 years before this point in time, she'd be unnerved by cameras, media, reporters, people poking and prodding her for her story, and being bamboozled by the busy life of the 21st century. So, she would avoid the news, and showing up on the news, because she'd be uncomfortable with it.**

**She's not from this era after all.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	302. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 43

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Solitude:**_ A State of Being Alone, or Withdrawn From Society; A Lonely Life; Loneliness…_

* * *

**Chapter 43**

"So, how'd the interview with the police go?" Ken'ichi asked when she started towards the porch after her morning practice with Bakusaiga.

"Long," she sighed, her head falling back as she sat, her bare feet were throbbing, but they felt so swollen she wasn't even going to entertain the idea of shoes at the moment.

"Yeah, I see they didn't take Bakusaiga," he gestured to the fang.

"I have a feeling Bakusaiga would just return to me even if taken," she sighed as she leant against a post on the porch.

"Really?"

"He just appeared in my hand when I leapt down the well; again," she sighed.

"Really?" another voice yawned and she turned to see Sachiko also stumbling out.

"Yes," she sighed.

_I do that, I appear when and where I'm needed, by which ever parent happens to need me. I can also appear for grandmother when summoned. _Bakusaiga chirped with a smile.

"That's a handy trick," Sachiko muttered as she sat.

_It is, and it's even better because Stupid Aunt Kagome can't summon me!_ Bakusaiga announced gleefully.

"What does Kagome have to do with anything?" Rin asked as she started rubbing her belly.

_She tried to summon me, I'm not an inu!_ Bakusaiga snapped.

"But Sesshomaru is inu daiyōkai," Ken'ichi pointed out as he laid on the porch.

_Sesshomaru-sama to you human!_ Bakusaiga hissed threateningly, Rin felt his fang pulse with offense and she chuckled as she gently rubbed the sheath. Her pup was so proud, just like his father, Rin just hoped his arrogance didn't get him into trouble. Then again, if he was like his father… trouble was inevitable.

"I can still beat you at Mario Cart, pup, so be careful how you talk to me," Ken'ichi teased.

_Uncle Inuyasha was good at Pong, but he sucked and Pac-Man_, Bakusaiga quipped playfully.

Rin laughed, not knowing the insult there, but she could hear it and she could see Inuyasha being furious about not being able to win a video game.

"Could your uncle see you?" Rin asked.

_Sometimes, if I concentrated really hard to appear before him. It gave me a headache_, Bakusaiga sighed.

"How could you get a headache? You're a phantom," Sachiko mused.

"If you ever meet Kagome and Inuyasha I think you'll understand how even a phantom could have a headache," Rin pondered. They were both exasperating, and dense (unbelievably dense!), but they had good hearts, and the best at heart in mind. But they were idiots.

"That's got to be frustrating," Ken'ichi and Sachiko stated together.

_It was horrid! Five hundred years with those dimwits!_ Bakusaiga growled.

"And now they aren't here, we are?" Ken'ichi mused.

_No, you're smarter than Kagome, and Inuyasha, but that isn't hard to do._

Rin's head fell back laughing then at her pup's words, everyone looked between insulted and amused but Rin couldn't fight the laughter. It had been so long since she had felt laughter in her heart that it just welled up on her.

"Oh Kami, you are your father's son, with your grandmother's tongue, and my brothers' mischief," Rin mused as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

_Rocks are smarter than Kagome and Inuyasha; and that's an insult to rocks, mother_. Bakusaiga stated seriously. Rin just laughed again, she couldn't stop it.

"Is there anyone you actually like?" Ken'ichi wheezed between his laughter.

_My father, mother, Uncle Shippo and Aunt Sōten seemed cool (but they couldn't ever see me), and I like you guys,_ Bakusaiga stated.

"What's with all the noise out here!" a voice barked, all of them looked up at the entrance of the house as Kazuo and Airi came out.

_Uh-oh,_ Bakusaiga managed before disappearing.

"_**GHOST!**_" Airi screeched, Kazuo just gaped before he fell back, Airi fell atop him then with a thud.

"Ow," Rin winced at the sight before she heaved herself up.

"Are they alright!?" Sachiko demanded as she broke from her stupor then.

"Yeah," Rin waved off as she checked the breathing, heart, and pulse. "Just fainted."

Seriously! Has no one ever seen an inu daiyōkai pup? Bakusaiga huffed indigantly.

"I'm afraid not, and most people don't believe in ghosts either," Ken'ichi sighed.

"Best get them inside, we'll deal with it when they wake," Rin decided.

"Don't even think about it ladies, you're both pregnant, and I happen to have enough sense to know you're not to be lifting heavy things, like people," Ken'ichi snapped and stopped before her. Rin glared up at him, she was pregnant not crippled! "And I'm not even sure if you could lift them Rin."

"Do I look like a weakling?" she demanded.

"Yes, which is your deception, you are surprisingly small and weak looking, and I will use that to assure you, you're not carrying them into the house." Ken'ichi affirmed. "Neither are you Sachiko so don't even think about it, go make them tea when they wake so we can explain this to them!"

"Come on Rin, best to just listen to Ken'ichi when he's like this," Sachiko sighed.

"But we're not helpless!" Rin argued.

"Oh, believe me, I know, but Ken'ichi's being Ken'ichi and he's not going to change, so it's best to roll with it. Besides, if we roll with it, then we can sucker him into watching our babies once they're born," Sachiko grinned.

"That I can agree to," Rin smiled as she walked after her friend to the kitchen. Sachiko moved to put a pot on the stove and the water to boil, Rin just hopped up on the counter with how her feet were aching.

"Thank you, I never got to say that the night… the night we were attacked," Sachiko whispered.

"You don't have to thank me," Rin murmured.

"But there is, you saved my life twice now, I'll never be able to repay you for that," Sachiko said as she grasped Rin's hand. Rin just stiffened then looked at the other woman, no one had ever thanked her for saving their life, it wasn't important to her, all that mattered was saving the life.

"You're… you're welcome," Rin murmured.

"And I'm sorry you had to kill, I can't imagine that's easy to do," Sachiko sighed.

"I'd do it again, without hesitation. You're… you're my friend, and I protect my friends with everything I've got," Rin said softly.

"You're my friend too, Rin, and I'll never be able to be a great savior or warrior like you, but I… I'd like to show you this era, it's more than just a farm," Sachiko hesitated.

"I'd like that, after I can see my feet again," Rin mused.

"Good, there's lots to show you once we can see our feet again, and we can sucker Ken'ichi into watching our kids…" Sachiko grinned evilly.

Rin laughed. This might not be so bad.

* * *

**My dog is doing chemo therapy, so there's hope for him yet. Here's hoping.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	303. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 44

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Solitude:**_ A State of Being Alone, or Withdrawn From Society; A Lonely Life; Loneliness…_

* * *

**Chapter 44**

Sesshomaru walked the street of London, his black hair was damp from the rain, but he didn't care. Everything was dreary at the moment, but he kind of found comfort in it. As a child Rin used to take his hand and drag him into the rain so he could watch her dance in the rain.

Kami, those were the days he missed.

He missed her, and it was getting so bad that he could barely remember what she looked like it was a harrowing knowledge, that he was forgetting what Rin looked like, but he…

Five hundred years played tricks on the memory, even his memory. And though there were things he'd rather forget, or rather remember better, he found it frustrating that of all his memories it was only what Rin looked like which faded. Maddening really, he hated that.

However, he couldn't forget her eyes.

Those sharp dark brown eyes which were so full of mystery, and love, and life. Though he had raised Rin, and though he knew everything about the woman she had grown up to be, the woman had been a mystery to him. a fascinating mystery. One he had always been lost in, always lost in the rapture that was the mystery of Rin. He wished he'd never gotten cursed by Magasuhi, he wished he'd never died, and he wished that Rin had never leapt down that fucking well again!

A scent caught his attention and had him turning with his eyes narrowing as he looked upon some European demons.

"Lookie at what we have here, lads, the Mighty Lord Sesshomaru," one mocked.

"Yeah! I bet he isn't all that Mighty!" the second laughed. Sesshomaru looked at the five of them and internally sighed, however he also smiled, for he had been itching for a fight for a century now. And while he felt this wasn't going to be much of a fight he didn't mind shedding blood and taking life, he was in a murderous mood as it were.

"Bet Rodney here could beat him!" the fourth snickered.

"Vermin," Sesshomaru stated.

"What did you say!?" the fifth and third shouted.

"You are beneath me pests," he informed them and turned to leave knowing they'd think it was a sign of weakness.

The first to make a move was impaled on his claws before he could breath, his heart beating weakly in his hand as it died. The demon gurgled, green blood slipped from his lips and Sesshomaru's lips curls up slightly for a cold smile then.

"Fool," he growled and he crushed the heart then as he ripped his hand out of the demon's holey chest before turning his attention on the other four. Two charged him, the light spilled from the tips of his fingers as he slashed out.

The screams echoed as he cut them down and walked by with the poison dripping from his claws. The other two were scrambling back, Sesshomaru growled lowly as he released a fraction of his true power, crushing the demons on the street as the gasped for air.

"Please! Have mercy!" the fifth shouted.

"I don't want to die!" the third shouted.

"Die? Whoever said I'd kill you?" Sesshomaru asked coldly as he released more of his power, it rolled off him in waves now as it crushed the demons.

"Please!" they screamed.

"You dared to challenge me?"

"Never Again King!"

"Run," Sesshomaru ordered icily, they scrambled up as his power receeded, unpinning them. He let them get twenty blocks before he lunged into his true form, smaller version though and tore through the streets, he was upon them before they could even scream, their blood staining the alley they had tried to hide in.

Sesshomaru shifted back and resumed his walk.

Today was the day he'd saved Rin from her first death. Today was Rin's second birthday, and she wasn't here beside him!

* * *

"So you're from the past?" Kazuo asked again.

"Yes," Rin nodded.

"And the… ghost?... is your son?" Airi questioned.

"I know that's a bit harder to understand but yes, Bakusaiga is my son," Rin said calmly.

"And Bakusaiga is the fang," Kazuo gestured to her fang. Rin nodded patiently.

"I know it's hard to believe, but believe us mom and dad, Rin's not lying. It's the only thing about her which makes sense," Ken'ichi defended her.

"And the baby is… Sesshomaru-sama's?" Airi asked.

"Yes," Rin nodded.

"And he's an inu daiyōkai?" Kazuo asked.

"Yes," she nodded.

"You're having his puppies?" Airi paled.

"No," Rin furiously shook her head.

"But then… I'm confused," Kazuo sighed. "I believe you kid, I am just very confused."

"It's very confusing, papa," Sachiko agreed.

"But… um… I'm not insane," Rin smiled nervously then grimaced. She was so screwed!

"No, you're not," Airi smiled sweetly. "Oh Kami, always knew weird things happened on this mountain, you showing up just confirms it."

"Uh…?" Rin sat there in confussion. She didn't understand any of that statement but as the woman smiled she had a feeling she wasn't supposed to get that statement as she leant back and rubbed her belly.

"Well, the August harvest will be soon, then we'll be getting ready for the September harvest and if you're still up for that I'll be paying you your share for farming that land up there," Kazuo said.

"Wait? You're not… banishing me?" Rin asked uncertainly.

"No, work to be done, and besides, for as confusing and screwy as this all is, it makes sense, and I wouldn't ever pitch a pregnant woman out of her home," Kazuo said firmly.

"So I can stay?" Rin asked.

"Yes, and we'll help you with the…" Airi trailed off as she looked at Rin's belly and Rin sighed.

"Babies, pups, either will do," Rin assured her.

"Babies, and Bakusaiga, if you need help," Airi smiled.

"Thank you," Rin smiled.

"Good, now that this oddity is settled, who wants lunch!?" Ken'ichi demanded cutting off any further explanations then.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	304. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 45

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Solitude:**_ A State of Being Alone, or Withdrawn From Society; A Lonely Life; Loneliness…_

* * *

**Chapter 45**

Rin sat on the porch that morning, after everything that had happened she just felt an unsettling peace on her soul. Staring out at the mountains, and the forest, the farmland. Even in five hundred years this hadn't changed, nothing had changed, and in a way Rin found it fascinating.

"You know, it's a lot to take in," a voice had her turning to face the older woman.

"I know," Rin admitted as she bit her lip and stared out at the world. "It's been a lot for me to take in as well."

"I can imagine," Airi mused as she sat beside her, Rin blinked at the offered steaming mug and hesitantly took it.

"I guess I'm just adapting still," Rin murmured. "I'm so used to fighting all the time, and in this era there doesn't appear to be much fight needed. It's just… it's different."

"I've always known that the world is different than what is presented, could feel the undercurrents. As a child, I used to believe in the spirits, used to run about Ushinawareta-ka and look for the spirits, but there were none to be found. I could feel them, I'd swear they were real but… I could never quite reach them. And then I met you, and I could feel it again, so powerful, so strong and vital, you made me remember that the world is more than what is seems," she mused.

"I don't see how, I just… I don't know," Rin admitted.

"What don't you know?" Airi asked.

"I don't know where I belong anymore, and I feel so alone and isolated, but I know I'm not in solitude, I have you, Sachiko, Ken'ichi and Kazuo, but I still… I don't know." she took a sip of the steaming tea then.

"I've died twice already, I've been brought to life again, I'm not human, I'm not a reincarnation, I'm not a yōkai, or hanyō, I'm not of this era, but I wasn't of my own era either. I just… I don't belong anywhere," Rin admitted. "I've known that for a long time, I've known that if I'm not beside my lord I don't belong anywhere. It's just… I don't know, it's weird. I've many friends in every era I've lived in, I've seen every kind of evil, and I've felt many different kindnesses, but I just… I don't belong. I'm always looking in on everyone else."

"It's a lonely life, the life of a time traveler," Airi said softly.

"Its not that I'm lonely, I'm just… I don't know, I guess I'm lost. Which is odd because I always know where I'm going, where I want to go, where I need to go, what I need to do. But without my lord, I just… I'm lost," Rin admitted.

"My grandmother once said that's the mark of an old soul, and you my dear, for being so young, are very old, not in years, but in life." Airi said softly.

"Perhaps, I just know I don't belong anywhere anymore, and I'm here."

"Everything will work in time, and you have us, Bakusaiga, the babies, it'll work out, I'm certain your lord will come for you," Airi assured.

"I know he's coming, but I just… I miss him, I miss him terribly so, like a part of me is missing. And I know that's nonsense, but it's there, it's a dull ache in my heart," Rin explained.

"You are a very strong girl, who is growing into a beautiful woman, your lord will come for you. he'd be a fool not to," Airi mused. "And until he does come for you, you have us, and we will help you how we can, Rin. You saved our daughter and grandbaby, you have helped our son, you're family now."

"Thank you, Airi," Rin smiled.

"Of course, child," Airi smiled.

"You remind me of someone from my era, someone else who was very kind to me, she was a miko. A bit grumpy, but she was like a grandmother to me, I don't even know when she died," Rin murmured.

"Do not dwell on death, Rin, it's another beginning for someone else," Airi stated.

"I know, and death and I are old friends," Rin replied as they stared at the blooming sky. The tea was delicious and Rin was certain that while she didn't belong here, she could stay here, which was a comfort to her.

* * *

Sesshomaru moved through the city with ease, he had a meeting with the Yōkai Heads from around the world. It wasn't something he was looking forward to, but it was a needed meeting. The humans no longer were bound to the treaty that he had made with them in Japan five hundred years ago. But there were things coming to light and if the humans rediscovered them then Sesshomaru knew, without a doubt that they would be hunted again.

Which was not a pleasant reality for him nor was it a pleasant thought.

Besides, he was the leader of all yōkai and demons in this world, and he took his position seriously.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken squeaked as Sesshomaru walked into his mother's home for the meeting.

"Jaken," he acknowledged.

"Inuyahsa has returned with his pups and Kagome to Japan, the hunt for Rin is still happening. My sources in the countryside said that there is nothing new to report, but Shippo and Sōten are conducting their own investigation. If Rin is in this era we will find her!"

"Jaken, be silent," Sesshomaru ordered as he walked into the conference room. His gold eyes roaming over the other heads of clans and deligates.

"Sesshomaru-sama, it is so go to see you again," Shiori smiled.

"Shiori," he nodded his head in greeting to the hanyō as he took his place at the head of a hundred yōkai heads and everyone settled.

"The treaty is nearly up, the humans do not even remember it!" spat out Toran then.

The room broke into a roar then.

* * *

**I've caught a wretched cold. On top of everything else! I HATE being sick! This sucks.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	305. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 46

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Arrival:** _The Person Or Thing Arriving Or Which Has Arrived…_

* * *

**Chapter 46**

For Rin, she found the following months; as the modern era called them, to be peaceful. She made two more harvests in a month called July; shortly after the attack, and again in September. Now she was coming at the end of the month of October, and she found herself ready for her pups to be born; if only to cease Bakusaiga's hovering. Honestly, her pup had no boundries as she entered the end of her pregnancy.

"So you're certain you don't want to come with me and go to Tokyo for a hospital birth?" Sachiko huffed as they sat there on Rin's porch in the cold, damp air of a coming autumn storm.

"I am not certain what I am giving birth to, so…" Rin gave Sachiko a bland look then.

"I get it, not really, but I just thought to ask, my doctor is great and they might be able to help you," Sachiko shrugged.

"Thank you, but no, I will be fine, I've assisted in many births, I think I can manage my own," Rin mused dryly.

"It's just a suggestion, you're bigger than I am, and I'm two weeks late," Sachiko sighed.

"Babies come when they decide to come, though I am tempted to eat those peppers we had yesterday," Rin growled as she glared in irritation at her belly. The thing about hanyō pregnancies, they were unpredictable, they could follow the yōkai or human cycle, and Rin had secretly hoped to follow the yōkai cycle rather than the human. But it appeared, that as October was coming to a close and November was coming, she was not going to be so lucky.

"Any names picked out?" Sachiko asked her.

"No, but once I know what I have I'll figure something out," Rin sighed.

"I'm naming my daughter Nanami," Sachiko decided. "Daichi liked that name, he liked it a lot."

"It's a pretty name, though I'm not going for Nanami," Rin sighed.

"Don't name you child Sesshomaru or Inuyasha like the manga, they will be picked on," Sachiko warned.

"I think my child would be honored to hold their father's name, perhaps not their uncle's but definitely their father's," Rin scolded.

"Oh Rin," Sachiko giggled.

"Everything will be fine, for the both of us, I have everything I need to give birth, and you will be in the wretched hospital," Rin mused as she sipped her tea.

"I know, but I worry," Sachiko sighed.

"Why?"

"There's a typhoon coming in, we're to get hit hard over the next two weeks with the storm," Sachiko informed her.

"Ah," Rin nodded. "It'll be fine, it's just a bit of rain."

"Rin, even you must know that typhoons are powerful forces which can do disastorous things," Sachiko scolded.

"I do, but I'm not worried. And everything is going to be fine, the laws of karma are on our side," Rin grinned.

"I think you mean Murphy's Law for you," Sachiko countered.

"Who is Murphy and what law? I do not believe have broken a law recently," Rin deadpanned.

"You'll be fine Rin, now I'm going, Ken'ichi agreed to drive me to Tokyo before the storm hit so I could get to the hospital."

"Drive safe in that death trap, I'll call in at your parents' place every day to assure them I'm alright," Rin promised.

"Thank you Rin," Sachiko smiled and they both looked up as the sky started drizzling lightly.

"Ken'ichi will be here in ten minutes I bet," Sachiko mused.

"I think he's coming now, the gravel is crunching," Rin chuckled as she sipped her tea.

The truck pulled up then and Sachiko sent a glare her direction.

"How do you do that!?" she hissed.

"I lived years on my senses alone, I continue to live on those senses, never distrust your senses," Rin mused devilishly.

"You're annoying," Sachiko rolled her eyes.

"I try," Rin smiled charmingly.

"Well, when I see you again perhaps I'll be able to see my feet again."

"Aww! That would be nice, I've forgotten what mine look like."

"You never wear shoes."

"True, but it'd be nice to see them again, and not having others assure me that they are there and they are swollen."

"Agreed."

"Pregnancy sucks," Rin sighed.

"So you say, but you haven't had a single symptom, I have pimples, pimples!" Sachiko exclaimed as Ken'ichi got out of the truck.

"My back hurts, my breasts hurt, these practice contractions suck, and I have to pee the moment I am comfortable, those are symptoms," Rin argued.

"Fine, now I'm going," Sachiko waved at her as her friend slowly got to her feet then.

"How are you Rin!?" Ken'ichi gasped as he caught his sister's elbow.

"I'm pregnant," Rin answered.

"Well… uh…"

"If you are a smart man you won't reply to that," Sachiko informed him sweetly.

"Thank you for the advice, now Rin," he started again.

"I will call your parents every day, without fail, and I will be fine, you are going to that wretched, noisy, smelly city to take care of Sachiko and we you return with Sachiko and Nanami I will also hopefull no longer be pregnant," Rin mused.

"You're annoying when you do that." he grouched.

She chuckled.

"I try."

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" he asked her as he looked her over.

"I don't what I am giving birth too, and most would not be as… understand as your family has been, so I am certain I don't want to be at a hospital with doctors asking questions," Rin assured him.

"Alright," Ken'ichi sighed as he and Sachiko left, saying their goodbyes. Rin just watched the truck pull out of the drive way when Bakusaiga appeared holding a trapped bird.

_Mama! I caught dinner! _He exclaimed holding his trapped prey and Rin sighed.

"No."

_But!_

"Release the bird Bakusaiga," she scolded.

_You already said no to the cat_, he grumbled.

"I don't eat cats," Rin pointed out.

_But!_

"No."

* * *

**I'm closing out Part 7 tonight, so try to keep up if you can! ;) I've got nothing better to do since I'm sick.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	306. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 47

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Arrival:** _The Person Or Thing Arriving Or Which Has Arrived…_

* * *

**Chapter 47**

Three days after Sachiko and Ken'ichi had left for Tokyo the storm came barreling in at full force. Rin wanted to say she was shocked, or miffed, but she was actually enjoying the power of the rolling storm. Even as she paneled up her house and pulled out the oil lanterns and candles she would need. Bakusaiga was enjoying roaming in the woods, he said it was fascinating and that was something Rin was just going to take his word for it at the moment.

According to the phone Ken'ichi had given her it was November 2nd. She found it amusing how the modern era had tried to organize the year and give it cycles. All Rin knew was she was a day away from a new moon, and nothing was working on getting the pups out of her.

She had all the needed supplies, and she was ready, the world was ready, her body was giving her enough practice labor to drive her insane and yet…

No pups yet.

It was getting on her nerves.

This was Sesshomaru's fault, it had to be, that's the only way this made sense. This was his revenge in someway, and she didn't even know how. She wasn't entirely certain how he had done it, but she knew he had something to do with these pups taking their sweet time about coming into this world. And there was no way that it was because they were warm and safe within her; her petite frame was aching with all this added weigh and she was freezing half the time.

Looking out the window Rin watched as the lightning danced through the sky and she shivered as she remembered a time in her travels as a young teen with Sesshomaru when they had been caught in a storm like this. Her lord had been very odd about the entire thing, he had taken pains to be as far from her as he was comfortable with after she had started a fire in the cave they had been waiting the storm out in. Jaken and A-Un hadn't been with them that trip, it was that trip that he had taken her on to explain the womanly things she'd be going through now, and she had just about hit her first cycle. About two moons later Kagome had returned.

_Mama, do you like storms?_ Bakusaiga asked as he materialized beside her.

"Yes I do, they remind me of your father," Rin admitted.

_Does Papa like storms?_

"I think so, I think he likes their power," Rin admitted. Sesshomaru liked power, he admired it in all forms, and he had loved watching it. She was pretty certain he also liked how wild storms were.

_Do you think the pups will miss him?_ Bakusaiga asked her.

"Of course they will, but I'm going to tell them all about your father, until he finds us," Rin assured her phantom pup.

_Good._

"No I'm going to bed, you are too, and there's no buts about this," Rin yawned.

_I don't sleep._

"You do tonight."

_Fine._

"Good," Rin mused as she walked towards her room to change into a nightgown so she didn't feel too cold. But she needed to change. Once she settled in for the night she yawned and sighed as she fidgeted until she was comfortable, and found her spot. Shivering a little she yawned and finally sleep overtook her.

There was that constant ache in her lower back which was driving insane as she fell into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Sesshomaru was pacing in agitation for some reason. He didn't understand it as he shifted into his daiyōkai form, his human disguise falling away as his mokomoko swished over the cold tiles of his flat as he stared out at the bright day shining overhead and it was one of those annoyingly clear November days. Which was odd, because November was normally a dreary dying month.

Snarling he couldn't place the rippling irritation he felt as he paced.

He could feel that there was something the matter with Rin, but he couldn't place what, and he couldn't feel where she was.

Fuck! This was so much easier when she had been a pup and he could use his incomplete bond with her to peek into her mind to find her, but now that it was complete he couldn't invade her mind and find her like he so desperately wanted to do.

Snarling, he refrained from gnashing his teeth in irritation. This was not a pleasant sensation, he felt like he was absent from smething or about to miss something of great importance. But what that was…

He didn't know.

He could only feel it's importance through Rin and he could only sense that he was missing it.

"My lord!" Jaken squawked as he barged into the room.

"Jaken, get me a flight to Tokyo," he snapped.

"What!? My lord!"

"Now!" he snarled lowly as he felt his inner beast bleeding to the surface as he glared at Jaken.

"Of course my lord!" he yelped as he ran off. Sesshomaru glared back out the window as he felt the agitation growing. Something was happening to Rin, just when she was he didn't know as he glared out the window. He could feel her though, for the first time in centuries he could feel her as if she were here, and he wanted to be there with her.

* * *

Rin whimpered in pain as she finally gave up her quest to sleep and gasped as she lurched up to a rippling pain tearing through her belly. Gasping as the pain subsided she grabbed her phone and looked at the blinking battery alert.

0132 read the time, November 3rd, 2008 was the date.

Rin slowly lifted herself onto her feet and when she started walking she felt a gush of liquid from between her legs and another rolling bout of pain as she cried out in pain, thunder roared overhead then as she collapsed to her knees hugging her belly.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	307. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 48

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Arrival:** _The Person Or Thing Arriving Or Which Has Arrived…_

* * *

**Chapter 48**

The rippling pain had Rin crying out again as she just braced herself up on her hands and knees panting, gasping for air as she tried to keep herself steady. The pain was all consuming, and it was breathtaking and as she tried to focus past it she found that nothing in her past, nothing at all, came close to the pain she was experiencing now as she winced as slowly moved herself up on her knees and feet as she breathed.

All of her other pain felt irrelevant now, everything she had expierenced was trivial compared to what had just consumed her.

Rin felt another wave of pain coming over her as she gasped for air and grabbed her belly as she silently screamed.

What the hell!? Was this normal!? Rin just cried as she breathed through the pain and slowly pulled herself to her shaky feet as she walked to the bathroom, where all the birthing supplies were, and the extra heaters were, with the backup generator. Wincing she moved carefully, her body throbbing and she felt like she was being consumed by the pain, but she didn't succumb to it as she moved.

"Ow," she whimpered as she turned on the generator; she didn't think the rest of the house had power at this moment, as she slowly lowered herself to the ground and gasped as another rippling pain coursed through her, tearing up and through her.

Clenching her teeth she tried not to collapsed or pass out from the pain.

Nothing compared to this! Not the dragon, not her first death, not all her battles, or her stab wound from Takemaru.

Nothing compared to this as she bit her lips and whimpered at the pain as she tried to calm down and focus. The thunder shook the house and she bit her knuckle as she slowly tried to examine herself.

* * *

Inuyasha stared at Kagome as he moved her in their penthouse.

"You're sure?" he asked her.

"I want another, and it's been five hundred years," Kagome whispered.

"But if we do this there is no turning back," he warned her as he slowly guided her to the bed. He didn't want to explain that his instincts would demand he breed her, or how they would expect her to comply and be happy about her pregnancies.

"I'm sure."

* * *

Rin whimpered as she felt the first pup coming, she could feel it moving in her body and she gasped at the mind numbing pain which seized her. pain rolled up her spine as she tried to keep from crying out at the pain as she grabbed the rim of her tub and held it with all her strength. A low groan of pain escaped her as another wave of pain took her and she could feel her body pushing, she gasped as she bared down with all her strength and fell back gasping as the pain subsided.

She took deep breathes, feeling the pain again as she felt the head of her baby coming. At least, she hoped it was a head, if it was a breech this would complicate her life!

Thunder shook her house again and she screamed as the pain consumed her mind and body. Holy fuck! Why did it hurt so much!? she wondered as she continued fighting to bring her pup into the world. Good Kami she felt like she was being torn apart! She wanted to die, the tears slipped out despite her wants as she pushed.

* * *

Arms slipped around her as she stared out a storm, she could feel her power coursing through her as she watched the lightning and the thunder.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispered in her ear.

"Masaru," she admitted.

"Oh Kami, not again," Shippo sighed.

"Just hear me out!" Sōten pleaded.

"We've been over this Sōten, I even gave you the memory, he just… combusted into blue and orange flames and was gone as if he never existed!" Shippo sighed.

"I know, I know that, but… but what if there's something in his last words?" she asked.

"Sōten, he left us nothing!"

"But he mentioned finding Rin in a place that couldn't be found except by those who had been lost and found it already," Sōten argued.

"She's not there, I checked," he sighed.

"But!"

"Sōten, I haven't given up on Rin, but the reality is that she's not going to be easy to find; in any era. Rin was good at hiding, if she ever had a natural gift, it was hiding, from everyone. We'll find her, but this is going to take time," Shippo said as he rested his brow on hers'.

"I just… I want Sesshomaru-sama happy, he's done so much and given up so much for us, he deserves to be happy."

* * *

Rin was gasping for air when that first silver pup finally was born, he didn't come with a sound, just stared at her with large confused gold eyes, and her breath hitched. Gathering up her pup she slowly looked him over as she tied and cut his umbilical cord. She knew she was carrying more than one pup so she only had so much time before the pain would come.

Elven ears, gold eyes, a tuff of silver hair which shimmered black.

He looked like a daiyōkai pup rather than a hanyō. Hastily Rin grabbed a blanket for her son, then she gasped as another round of crippling pain over took her and nearly had her collapsing. Her pup shifted into a silver puppy, and then he shimmered black back to silver, as she set him on a pillow.

She gasped and whimpered, her body was tearing her apart as she didn't fight the tears back from rolling down her cheeks though as the pain consumed her again. Oh Kami! She hurt! The cry which escaped her she couldn't have held back if she tried as she wept for reprieve from the pain.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	308. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 49

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Arrival:** _The Person Or Thing Arriving Or Which Has Arrived…_

* * *

**Chapter 49**

_**HELP!**_ He shouted as he surged through the wall and stared the waking human couple.

"Holy shit!" the human old man shouted as he leapt back on his bed. But Bakusaiga couldn't find it in him to care about if he had or had not scared the human couple his mother had told him to come too if he needed help. Besides their house was right on the edge of his wandering area! He couldn't go much farther at this moment and his mama needed help! Now!

_Mama, the pups decided to come now! she needs help! Please!_ He pleaded desperately. There was no way his mam, even for as strong as she was, that she could handle this all on her own. And his mama was a very strong human as he had come to know in the past near human year with her. He could see why his papa had choosen his mama, but it wouldn't matter now if she died and she was in so much pain he was scared for mama!

"Bakusaiga!" the woman gasped as she fumbled with those shiny things she wore on her face.

_Mama! She needs help! Now! _he shouted desperately trying to get these humans to understand.

"Alright, alright, Airi get some tea, I'll drive up to Rin's and check in on her," the man grumbled.

_Hurry! She's in a lot of pain!_ Bakusaiga pleaded as he disappeared and checked in on his mother, she screamed in agony then.

Shimmering black and silver caught his eye as he materialized over his little brother, the pup look at him with black gold eyes and another cry pierced the screams with their mother.

"Bakusaiga, get the Yunos," Rin asked him.

He nodded as his senses pinpointed the man and he felt him moving which had Bakusaiga materializing in the truck beside him.

_She's in a lot of pain!_ He whimpered.

"Holy Kami! Stop doing that! you want to give me a heartattack you ungrateful yelp!" the man shouted at him.

_**Save My Mother!**_ he growled lowly then as he felt every bit of his beast come to the surface for the first time in five hundred years.

* * *

"Ken'ichi, get over Asami," Sachiko sighed as she sat in the hotel room they were waiting in. they hadn't checked into the hospital, but if her labor didn't come in the next day she was getting induced or having a C-section.

"Sachiko, it's not that simple," he sighed.

"You deserve better than that heartless bitch," Sachiko spat out. Her furry hadn't faded at her former best friend, and she'd be damned if Ken'ichi ended up with that heartless bitch. What sort of friend didn't come in the hour of need!? Even Rin, and Sachiko had hated, absolutely hated!, Rin at the time, had been there for herself and Ken'ichi and Rin hadn't even known them! Really known them.

"Sachiko, I was with her for nearly seven years," he pointed out.

"Yes and we've known Rin less than a year and she's more like family than Asami ever was," Sachiko argued.

"Look, I'm here, I have nothing better to do, I'm just saying I'd like to check in on her," Ken'ichi defended.

"And she's here, and I'd like to light her on fire, but you don't see me tracking down that bitch and doing it! Ken'ichi, she made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with either of us, ever again, and we're better off without her," Sachiko huffed as she felt a twinge of discomfort ripple through her belly then.

"You two were best friends since you were in diapers, why the change?" he asked.

"Well, she called me dramatic, said she wasn't coming home, and she told me not to call her unless it was urgent, and that was just after I lost Daichi. I'm never forgiving her," Sachiko warned.

"But you forgave Rin," he pointed out.

"After I realized she tried!" Sachiko shouted. "And Rin's been a better friend to the both of us than Asami ever was, and that says a lot. Because she doesn't have to be our friend!"

"Sachiko, you're being dramatic."

"I am not, and if you want to go looking for her you'll have to do it on your own or I will light her on fire."

* * *

Kazuo walked into Rin home, against the howling wind and he stopped as he pulled his flashlight out then.

"Rin!" he called out.

This way! The glowing phantom motioned and he hurried after the phantom. He skidded to a hault when he entered the bathroom and saw four things immediately.

1\. A puppy which was shimmering between the colors silver and black, wrapped in a blanket, with gold eyes.

2\. A baby wrapped in another blanket, also with gold eyes and also shimmering between black and silver.

3\. A placenta.

4\. A very pale Rin.

"Fuck!" he gasped.

"Kazuo," Rin breathed.

"You weren't kidding about the inu daiyōkai were you?" he asked as he hurried over to the girl. she gave a weak smile as she shook her head.

"No," she wheezed.

"Alright, I'm taking the kids first, then you, I'll come back for the after birth clean up," he decided; he'd own enough livestock to know that the afterbirth clean up had to happen. He was more shocked to only see one placenta and two babies. But he wasn't a doctor and wasn't going to think about it as he gingerly scooped up the two babies, the puppy was a baby then.

Once he had the babies in his truck, dry, warm and safe he hurried through the screaming rain for Rin then.

"Take the fang, then me," Rin gasped, she was up, propped on a wall. He looked at the white sword on the post, he snatched it up then he scooped the pale girl up.

"Ow," she whimpered.

"You're alright, you're alright," he promised, and he felt like a father again as he looked over the small pale girl he set in his truck and put the sword gently in her lap.

"I just fucking hurt," she chuckled humorlessly.

"Giving birth does that," he pointed out as he shut the door and carefully drove the girl and her babies down the mountain again.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	309. Can't Turn Back Time: Chapter 50

**Can't Turn Back Time...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Arrival:** _The Person Or Thing Arriving Or Which Has Arrived…_

* * *

**Chapter 50**

Sesshomaru let out a tense breath as he sat on his jet staring out at the world.

"Sesshomaru, worrying like this will not help her," his mother chided.

"I feel her," he snapped back and that seemed to freeze his mother then.

"What?" she whispered.

"I. Feel. Her." he grounded it out carefully. For the first time in five hundred years he felt something, something tangible about their bond again, and he was desperately clinging to it for his sanity, he couldn't risk letting it go else he was terrified he'd go mad and all of this would prove to be nothing but an illusion. A thought which had him murderous and terrified all at once, but he couldn't stand the thought of losing this feeling.

It was almost as if he could reach out and touch Rin, it was the first time he could send comfort to her, to savor her presence in their bond, in five hundred years. And Sesshomaru couldn't explain it, but he was… he was terrified that it was all an illusion and the moment the spell broke that feeling, it'd be gone.

But since he could feel her, he couldn't track her, but he had hope. It was a poisonous feeling, but good Kami was he ever hoping, to have Rin in this era, to have her within reach again. He needed her, he needed that, he needed to feel her again.

And she was so fucking close!

* * *

A low moan of pain ripped through her as she moved on her bed and scrunched up her closed eyes. There was a whimpering sound and soft voice.

"Aw, look, Mama's awake," a soft feminine voice cooed and reluctantly Rin opened her eyes as she was assaulted by sounds of the storm around her.

"Airi," she whispered.

"Yeah, hi, say hi to Mama," Airi said as she came over.

"So I'm really here," Rin sighed.

"Yeah, don't move, you're going to hurt a lot," Airi warned.

"So I'm feeling," Rin sighed. "How are my pups?" she asked.

"Healthy as far as I can tell, they keep switching… forms?... puppy, human, human with puppy ears, puppy again, and human," Airi said.

"What?" Rin blinked as she slowly moved up. So that wasn't an illusion of her pain like she had thought.

"Yes, it's very confusing, but Kazuo is finding it cute," Airi assured her. Suddenly her arms were filled with her baby and her eyes widened. "You have a healthy son and daughter, and if I didn't happen to be seeing them switch their bodies out unwillingly I wouldn't believe it either."

"I just… I… um," Rin whispered as she stared at her pup in her arms, the baby shifted into a hanyō then a pup and then back to a baby with elven ears and Sesshomaru's colors before it's hair turned black but sprung back silver.

"That's your son, Kazuo's in love with your daughter, and declared her his granddaughter."

* * *

Sesshomaru was feeling Rin's love, it was coming in such strong waves he felt like he was feeling the moon's light for the first time in years. It was weaker than the sun's light, it was far more mysterious, and it was no less real. He could feel her, and her unwavering love was being directed at him and something else.

It was breathtaking as he closed his eyes and savored this, savored feeling her, and savored knowing she was alive and there.

He wanted her here, but he could feel her in this era and that was intoxicating. She was hidden from him, she was still missing, but he could feel her. And he could feel her love, and it was… it was intoxicating as he sat there in his jet while his mother slept and Jaken snored beside her.

Rin was here, now he just needed to find her, and knowing her she'd be smart and chose a place she could be living quietly and waiting for him. Sesshomaru was just itching to find her, and he'd tear apart the entire fucking country if he had to, he didn't care! He needed Rin, he just… he needed to feel her with him again, and to savor having her in his arms again because good Kami did he miss her.

And she was so close, so close and yet he didn't have her with him. Yet.

He also had a suspicion that Bakusaiga was with her, at least that's what he was hoping.

* * *

"So Rin, what are you going to call these two?" Kazuo asked her when she was finally sitting up and had her arms filled with two sleeping daiyōkai pups; they seemed to be more than normal hanyō pups; don't ask her how because, honestly, she didn't know. All she knew was she felt an overwhelming love for these two and Bakusaiga and she'd do anything to keep her pups and family safe, she'd even die for her pups.

"I was thinking Yasei, and Arashi," Rin admitted.

_Why those?_ Bakusaiga asked.

"Well, they were born during a wild storm, and Yasei was first, I remember that, and Arashi was second, so it just… makes sense," Rin shrugged.

"I think they're lovely names,"Airi smiled.

"I think they're appropriate," Kazuo huffed.

"I think they are daiyōkai names, and they need strong names," Rin whispered and yaned then.

"That they do," Airi agreed when their phone rang. "That'd be Sachiko and Ken'ichi, I'm going to answer that."

"So, my grandbabies… do I get to hold one?" Kazuo asked her.

"Your grandbabies?" Rin chuckled.

"I have come to love you as a daughter Rin, and they are so adorable, how could I not be their grandpa!? And I get to spoil them, and terrorize them, and love them!" Kazuo grinned. She just chuckled as she carefully transferred Arashi to him.

"Grandfather you are then," Rin yawned. She felt so damn tired, and proud.

"Rest kid, these two will be fussy soon enough," Kazuo warned her as he scooped up her son before she could protest. She merely settled back and nodded in agreement as exhaustion dragged her under again.

* * *

**Yasei- means 'wild'**

**Arashi- means 'storm'**

* * *

**That's the end of Part VII: Can't Turn Back Time folks! **

**Thank You To All My Silent Readers, I Hope You Have Enjoy Part VI: Emptiness Inside! =)**

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**Part VIII: All A Dream, No is up next! ;)**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	310. PART VIII: ALL A DREAM, NO

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Part VII**

* * *

**All A Dream, No**

Was it all a dream I wondered.

Was this all some insane dream my mother thought up?

No.

For how could I ever doubt my mother when she had lost everything to have my sister and brother? She had fought so hard, for so long, and everyone around us believed, those who truly knew us, believed us. And besides, one couldn't simple dream me up, they'd have to be insane.

Still, there were times when I wondered if the world was insane. If this were all just some mad dream I concocted in my head. After all, to see everything I have seen… it is not impossible to dismiss something so improbably.

I also wondered at times if I had dreamt up father, if he were merely some form of my imagination, if he were nothing but an illusion.

However, seeing my mother so certain of my father, and his mere existence was usually enough to have me sobering up and rethinking my irrational thoughts.

For none of this could be a dream

I sincerely doubt there's a soul on this planet or in the heavens, mad enough to dream up this dream, which is why I look back on all of this wonder how it could be a reality. For surely fate wouldn't be so cruel to my mother and father so as to separate them so long and for them to love so deeply.

Sometimes, I wish this were all just a dream.

If only to spare them.

But it's not.

It's never a dream.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	311. All A Dream, No: Chapter 1

**All A Dream, No**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Live:** _To Enjoy Or Make the Most of Life; To Be In a State of Happiness; as, People Want Not Just to Exist, But To __**Live**__…_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"And why are we doing this again?" Rin asked as she walked arm in arm with her best friend in this era; Taka Sachiko. Though they had a 'crazy singles women weekend' every year since their children had been born and the start of their friendship this was honestly a first for Rin. Never had she thought they'd be back in this horrid city and she'd be being dragged to some noisy place, all because Sachiko picked this trip this time around.

"Because, Mikadzuki Rin, we single mothers need to have some fun on occasion, and since you have never experienced the wonders of the modern era, my Edo friend, we are going to go have some good old fashioned partying the modern era way!" Sachiko declared. "Which means no fights, no yōkai, no hanyō, no gods, just some good old fashion fun, flirting, teasing, dancing, and the breaking of a few rules on a night when we suckered Ken'ichi into watching our kids, in your case your pups, for the entire weekend! This will be fun, come on!"

"Sachiko!" Rin shrieked as she was dragged after her widowed friend of eight years into a noisy club covered in a minimal amount of material. Honestly, women of the modern era were so scantily clad it was amazing to Rin that the material even stayed on her body.

"Come on Rin! you'll have fun, and scars and all you look sexy as hell so flaunt it, because for single mothers like us that's a huge accomplishment," Sachiko declared as she slipped her arm in Rin's.

"I'm not fussing about that, Sachiko, I'm concerned about this dress staying on my body, is it supposed to cover my breasts or ass?" Rin asked; though she was lying for she wanted to be somewhere else for fun. But her widowed friend so rarely had fun and Rin understood Sachiko's loneliness better than anyone they knew, and so Rin would endure the modern era's definition of fun for her best friend. No doubt she'd do this for Shiori too, or Kagome, and she knew she'd do this if it was Sesshomaru's thing. And Rin was fine with this so long as she wasn't going to be molested by strangers to dance. Since that's what Sachiko had declared they were doing. After the hours on the train to get to the city and now they were here at a club, Rin wanted to sleep rather than walk into a Narita club

"Oh Rin, so naïve," Sachiko chuckled. "You know Asami worked her ass off to get us into the club and you're supposed to look skimpy in that dress; it's supposed to barely cover your body."

"You know, Ken'ichi and Asami probably did not like us shoving Nanami, Arashi, and Yasei on them when they're just trying to get along in their new relationship attempts," Rin mused once they were in line for the club.

"Well, they're trying to be parents for Katsuo. Dealing with other children is a part of parenting; they'll have to get used to it; especially since Katsuo, Yasei, Arashi, and Nanami are all so close. Did you ever have a friend you were that close to as a child?" Sachiko asked her.

"Actually, no, my friend's parents never had me imposing on them. My lord would permit me to do no such thing!" Rin said indignantly as she folded her arms. "My lord would be offended you would think such a thing of me. Besides, I hope Arashi and Yasei behave for the weekend. They are not the most obedient of pups," Rin sighed.

"Nothing will happen this weekend. Besides, you left over five tons of the antidote, and they know the warnings you've placed on their heads; because Asami doesn't know about them and Ken'ichi has the entire thing under control; also Bakusaiga's home should they need to go to the house." Sachiko assured her.

"Doesn't mean I'm not going to worry; you know those two," Rin shrugged. Her eyes flicked up to a huge man who looked her over with a blank look before looking at his clipboard. They walked in when he motioned for them to move forward. Rin was assaulted with sounds so loud with sounds, it hurt, but it was intoxicating too, and Sachiko squealed with her joy and Rin chuckled; though she couldn't hear it. Rin's eyes scanned the moving crowd when Sachiko grabbed her and dragged her along into the masses of people.

Rin was shoved to bar counter then, as she stood there and held up two fingers, her order was sochu on the rocks for herself and a fruity thing Sachiko loved when they did this. It was strange to her to be so calm about this as she took the glasses after paying and giving a tip and then weaving her way through the crowd.

"Here we are," Rin shouted over the music which was vibrating the building round them. It was hours after laughing, watching Sachiko dance with every man and leaving some of them drooling for her while Rin toyed and declined every male who neared her, that her friend squeezed beside her at the bar.

"Look over there, Rin!" Sachiko ordered excitedly, Rin looked to where her friend was pointing to see a panther yokai, and not just any panther yōkai, Rin's eyes widened as the recognition had her stiffening. "That's Hyō Toran, sister to Shūran, Shunran, and Karan; they pretty much run the club scene here in Tokyo! It's amazing she even showed!"

"Uh-huh," Rin nodded numbly then as she let the liquor slip past her lips and down her throat. The burn was comforting as she felt like running, summoning Bakusaiga and leaving here as quickly as she could. But she refrained from reacting so brashly as she smiled at Sachiko rushing out on the dance floor. Well, just because she was worried about her past didn't mean she was going to let it ruin her friend's fun. However, Rin's eyes warily followed the blue hostess.

* * *

Toran's nose twitched as a translucent scent wafted through her cub and had her perking up. The scent was entwined with Sesshomaru's scent too. It was the scent of the most wanted human by gods and yōkai alike; the only human to ever be wanted by both sides; and who found her first would claimed her.

Toran turned to look for the owner of the scent and her eyes only caught a glimpse of midnight hair disappearing through the crowd and a set of lively, mysterious, wise old brown eyes glimpse her way. When Toran tried to near the the scent, the illusion of Rin the girl and the scent vanished before she could capture it.

Welcome to the last five hundred years of the yōkai hunt, for they all wanted was their leader to be happy before Izanami could claim the walking ghost mate of Sesshomaru-sama. The human who's soul was defiled with the joining and mating of their lord's own soul; it was a defilement in the eyes of the gods. But they had yet to find what time Rin had come back in, and now Toran pulled her phone out. Only two words were in her next message to the brother of their lord who investigated each sighting without Sesshomaru-sama's knowing.

_Possible Sighting._

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	312. All A Dream, No: Chapter 2

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Live:** _To Enjoy Or Make the Most of Life; To Be In a State of Happiness; as, People Want Not Just to Exist, But To __**Live**__…_

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Inuyasha groaned when his phone buzzed on his night stand at three in the morning, groggily he got up. Careful not to disturb the other four occupants, Shou, Hana, and little Aoi, along with a newly impregnated Kagome who was in her first trimester and extremely temperamental when woken up; he picked up his phone as he walked out of the room to the kitchen to look at the message. Scratching his head he shook it as his ears twitched slightly. Passing his eldest pups' rooms he paused as he poked his head in both of their rooms.

Haruto was passed out with his catcher's mitt beside him and his math book as a pillow, along with the desk lamp on. Sighing Inuyasha crept into the room, flipped his eldest son's light off, carefully traded the text book for the pillow and picked up the catcher's mitt to put it on the dresser before shutting the door.

His eldest son and daughter may have looked fourteen but Haruto and Hoshi was five hundred years old. Though recently their aging seemed to have picked up in pace, it was strange that the twins had been so slow to age in the beginning while his other three pups were aging like human pups at this point. InuKimi had assured him though that this was normal of all inuyōkai pups, once they looked about twenty to twenty-five years old, their aging would be next to nonexistent; but right now they were growing at various paces that suited their environments to fit in.

Looking in on Hoshi he noted that she was sleeping with another book in her hand, her ears were twitching, and her music was still plugged into her dog ears playing. Sighing he took her book from her, put it on her night stand, took her iPod from her as he hit pause, then plugged the phone in to charge for tomorrow's day before he pulled her blankets up again and left her sound asleep.

Grumbling a bit he walked into the penthouse kitchenette and opened the fridge, pulled the milk out as he leaned on the counter to see what whoever was texting him wanted. He already knew it wasn't Sesshomaru, his brother didn't text or call him often enough for it to be him, also this was his other line for the yōkai community and not the business and family line his brother would use. Which made him wonder what was going on that someone in the community would need to text him about. If it was Koga asking for the pizza place again, Inuyasha was going to murder the wolf!

However the number was Toran's which had him lifting a brow as he opened the message and took a sip of the milk.

Next thing he knew he had spat out most of the milk on his phone at the message he was reading as his jaw hung open, his eyes were wide, and his body was frozen at the two words which the entire yōkai community knew the meaning to for they had never stopped looking for their emperor's wife.

_Possible Sighting._

Rin.

The name swirled through his mind as he stood there numbly and tried to process what Toran was saying to him. Though he didn't trust the she-cat initially; five hundred years of being allies had changed his opinion on the pain in the ass cat for him. But there was one thing no yōkai; of any species did, in any of their allied clans, did; no one talked about sightings of Rin. Sesshomaru, in the end, was their grand leader for their races for the past five hundred years, the only daiyōkai to interact with humans with no disguise or fear of retribution; and his missing, little, walking ghost, of a human mate.

Not only was the subject of Rin a serious offense to joke about but anyone who did taunt Sesshomaru with his mate would die; and this had been a painful lesson for them for the first five hundred years. Sesshomaru would not tolerate anyone toying with him about Rin. In fact, no one of the Inuyōkai Clan under InuKimi's rule or Xui's rule tolerated Sesshomaru being toyed with by others about his missing mate; and so it was up to him, Chieko, Fumio, and other members of Sesshomaru's first pack to look for Rin without rousing the suspicion of Sesshomaru; else he'd just join and be hurt at every dead end. Inuyasha understood the anguish of being separated from unmarked mates, he didn't think he could comprehend the devastation of being separated from his marked mate, or to have Kagome go missing.

He texted and waited for Toran's response.

_-Where? _

_-Here, but she's gone now._

_-I'll be at the club in thirty, security videos up when I get there._

_-Certainly_.

With that he walked back his room. His wife/mate and three youngest pups were still sound asleep; note to self: no Harry Potter movies before bed. He thought as he pulled on a clean shirt then the pants as he yanked on socks and hopped into his shoes.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered.

"Just heading out for a bit of work, be back before you wake again," he murmured as he kissed her temple then grabbed the keys off of the dresser as he walked away. Leaving the apartment complex he got to his car then drove straight to Toran's club. He got out of the car, strode with purpose straight into the club with no resistance as he strode straight to the office then.

"Show me," he ordered.

"I know it's been five hundred years so she might've changed a bit in appearance, but I think this is her. At least that's the girl who was giving off that translucent scent when I tracked it after closing." Toran said coldly as she then pointed to the screen and his amber eyes narrowed on the image of the girl.

Her face was obscured, but there was something about familiar about her. There were women in the modern era who just oozed confidence, however Rin had never oozed it, it was something about how she held herself which made her lethal, graceful, and wild with a confidence no modern woman had which had him watching the grainy image. Somehow the girl always managed to evade a direct shot of her face as she danced with another girl or sat back with a drink.

"They paid with cash, tender said they were nice and cute but he doesn't remember the girls, also, no one remembers who they were. But Inuyasha, Sesshomaru's in London and you can smell him in my club." Toran informed him and he nodded.

"I'm going to go check and then I'll see if I can follow the scent." He lied, there was no way to follow Rin's scent though; at least for his nose. Mostly because her scent had always been translucent and interchangeable. It broke his heart knowing this as he walked into the main club and inhaled sharply.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	313. All A Dream, No: Chapter 3

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Live:**_ To Enjoy Or Make the Most of Life; To Be In a State of Happiness; as, People Want Not Just to Exist, But To __**Live**__…_

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Come on Sachiko, let's not topple over now, this trip was your idea after all," Rin grumbled as she and her drunk friend stumbled on their hotel room. Perhaps 'crazy singles women weekend' this year hadn't been the best of ideas they had had; especially for two single mothers.

"You know Rin, I'm glad you came to this era," Sachiko slurred.

"Uh-huh, where's the key?" Rin demanded and her eyes narrowed as a man gave them a whistle and reached for Sachiko's vulnerable form. Her hand snatched his wrist with a painful grip as the man yelped. "Do not touch my sister." Then she shoved the man away as she took the key from a giggling Sachiko who stumbled into the room and kicked off her shoes.

"You know Sachiko, you suck at holding your liquor for a woman and respectable mother," Rin informed her friend who fell back on one of the hotel beds chuckling.

"I know! But Daichi and I always went clubbing in the city. We'd have gone for our tenth year anniversary this year if…" she sighed sadly then but her demeanor changed quickly enough as she giggled. "We conceived Nanami in a club," Sachiko informed her happily.

"Too much information Sachiko," Rin informed her.

"Don't care, miss Daichi," Sachiko whimpered.

"He misses you too, however, you are not calling Nanami until you are sober," Rin stated snatching the phone from Sachiko who was going to call her seven year old at Ken'ichi.

"How are you not drunk, you drank more than me!" Sachiko complained.

"Because I'm not a light weight," Rin retorted as she shimmied out of the dress and yanked on a shirt she had for sleeping. Then she helped Sachiko out of her dress, helped her friend into the sleep shirt, picked up three modern headache pills, water and handed it to Sachiko before they crawled into their perspective beds. She had some business to attend to tomorrow, alone, while she was here before returning home on the bullet train tomorrow evening.

Rin picked up the letter she had, the final payment in it too as she lay there in a room illuminated by the man made lights of the city. Sighing Rin sat up on the bed as she again opened the envelope; perhaps she should leave a clue for Kagome… Rin frowned with the thought as sighed.

Not for lack of faith in Kagome but there was a certain… well, obliviousness with Kagome made leaving a sign for her lord about as reliable as trusting Xui and her Clan to save or protect her. Again a sigh slipped from her lips as she let go of the envelope. Her lord would find her, he always did; but she was just so tired of waiting for him to find her. It had been eight years since her arrival to this era, seven years since Yasei and Arashi had been born on that stormy night. Closing her eyes she sighed again.

"Rin?" Sachiko rasped.

"Yes, Sacihko?" Rin replied as she stared back at the unfamiliar ceiling of the hotel.

"Do you ever miss him? Your lord?" Sachiko whispered. And Rin looked to her friend who appeared half asleep.

"Yes, I miss him every day, every moment, with every breath I take, with every heartbeat, with everything I am, I ache to be with him again, to be near him again. Why?" Rin asked.

"I miss Daichi, I miss him touching me, I miss feeling him in me, do you ever miss that?" Sachiko asked her. Rin pondered this, for a moment as she felt herself blush with the shock at such a forward question about intimacy. However, there was no hiding the truth from Sachiko, her friend was rather good at seeing through her.

"Yes, I miss that from him as well," Rin admitted.

"You know, it's been eight years since I last had sex. It's not that I don't want sex, I've dated other guys but… whenever the time comes for the… act of completion I start crying, sobbing, I feel like I'm cheating Daichi with them. What about you, Rin?" Sachiko whispered. "I know you insist he's still alive, but have you ever tried it with another?"

"No, Sachiko, I've never tried with another male, and Daichi would like for you to be happy in life, to have love, life, and happiness," Rin reminded Sachiko.

"I know… but I just… I miss him so much," Sachiko yawned.

"I know," Rin whispered softly. "I know very well about missing the one you love. But Daichi, he's never coming back Sachiko, and I'm so sorry I couldn't save him. But my lord will return to me, one day. I wish I could bring Daichi back for you."

"Thank you Rin, for being my family," Sachiko murmured softly.

"Thank you as well Sachiko, for being my sister," Rin decided.

Her resolve strengthened that there was a need for her final hint for her lord. It would be her hint for him, and him alone. Perhaps Kagome would deliver it to him, perhaps the well would be enough to draw him in and for him to receive her final hint for him. She would tell him exactly where to find her, after this though she'd just resume her living and her waiting. Her pups needed her, her life was very good without him, however she wanted him in her life for she loved him and their pups needed him.

Thinking this Rin got out of the bed, walked over to the paper pad in the hotel. Picking up the pen she wrote what she had to say for him.

_~Sesshomaru_

_~Remember, way back when, when I first stumbled upon you? I'm waiting there for you, patiently waiting; if you should still desire me. I'm waiting for you at Ushinawareta-ka, my lord. I still love you my lord._

_~Love always,_

_~Rin_

With that written she opened her envelope for tomorrow. Perhaps it wasn't for Kagome to know, but the girl was as dense as a rock. Hints would do no good for her, however, the message for Sesshomaru was clear as day here. There was no way he'd mess up finding her if he had the note. And tomorrow she'd entrust it, the last payment, and her letter of thanks to Higurashi Sumiko. The thought was daunting as she slipped back beneath the covers of her paid for bed.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	314. All A Dream, No: Chapter 4

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Live:**_ To Enjoy Or Make the Most of Life; To Be In a State of Happiness; as, People Want Not Just to Exist, But To __**Live**__…_

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Sesshomaru sat in his hotel reading a book quietly, it was not something new for him to be doing, it was not even an adequate distraction for him from the ache in his heart as he tried to not think of Rin. But that was a most difficult task since he could no longer rely on battles to take his mind off of his missing mate. If he had had it his way she wouldn't be missing in the first place, but she was. And until July 31st of this year he, not any of the other Naritas, were permitted near the Higurashi Shrine to investigate the Bone Eater's Well. This had mostly been because of how recognizable they were to Kagome, also, her grandfather seemed to know yōkai when he met them; even if they were disguised.

Sesshomaru did not relish the idea of having another bucket of icy cold holy water being thrown on him and then having a weak seal pressed to his back by some weak priest who seemed to think of him as an evil spirit when all he wanted to do was investigate the well for signs Rin.

But this had been two decades ago, Kagome assured them all that once she leapt down the well for the final time they would be free to come and go as they pleased. She had intentions of introducing her pack to her modern family; and apparently, he was going to meet them too since he kept sneaking onto the property to visit the well. Sesshomaru didn't mention the only strange occurrence to happen over the past decade was that for about eight years the well had been boarded up and sealed with a Suitopi, a Buruberu, and a Shiro Tsubaki there. His first thoughts had been of Rin, she had used to love using flowers to leave him messages, but Kagome said that wasn't the case. Apparently Sumiko, Kagome's mother, had found someone in the well, someone who Kagome couldn't really remember for that had been a testing time in school; who had stayed briefly before leaving them. However, she insisted the girl was not Rin, rather Rei, or Ran, or Ren, or Riko, but she was certain it wasn't Rin.

Sesshomaru wasn't convinced of this but he was busy in life, building his empire, building something which Rin would be a part of when she returned to him. She would want for nothing, he would have all her needs taken care of and never again would she be out of his sight.

Also, there was the matter of timing for the well being boarded up. According to Kagome it had been February when the girl had stayed with them, she had been gone before the end of the month too, and he had been in the States on business. He had already been in the states for a decade working on expansion so he hadn't exactly been visiting the well regularly at the time. Returning in November of that year because of a searing pain which had incapacitated him for damn near two days; November 3rd and 4th had been hell for him seven; nearly eight, years ago; he had immediately gone to the well. The only explanation for that particular brand of pain was that Rin had finally returned. There was nothing though aside from the flowers.

However, aside from suitopi and the buruberu, with a shiro tsubaki on the then boarded up well there had been no change at the Higurashi Shrine and no trace of Rin.

But it had been the starting point for him; not that anyone in the Narita Clan knew this, for he hadn't breathed a word of it to his mother, or grandmother, either pack under his charge, nor had he told his brother or his brother's family, and he certainly hadn't mentioned it to anyone outside the pack. After November of that year he had never stopped looking, it also was slightly convenient in his mind that Bakusaiga had disappeared eight years prior around February. But all of his searches had hit dead ends by walls thrown up by the Treaty.

It was frustrating; not to mention he could not let Narita Inc. fall either, so he was a busy man.

Sighing Sesshomaru pinched the bridge of his nose as he stood up, setting the book aside to try and clear his thoughts again. Rin's eyes were piercing his memories, and thoughts of why he wasn't looking for her were swirling in his mind. He had always been searching for her, but something about their bond had changed these last eight years, it was as if she were so near to him he could taste it. Immediately he picked up his phone.

"Mr. Narita! What can I do for you?" a female voice demanded over the laughing children in the background. "Ken'ichi, will you stop riling them up! I'm on the phone! It's my boss!" the woman shouted.

"Sorry Asami! Arashi, Nanami, Katsou, Yasei, let's go outside!" a man shouted.

"Thank you!" his secretary shouted. "I'm sorry about that, my fiancé's sister and friend dumped their children on us this weekend. What can I do for you Mr. Narita?"

"Flight for tomorrow, Tokyo," was all he said.

"Yes sir, a particular time Mr. Narita?" Noto Asami asked him.

"Early," was all he said and then he hung up before he would hear complaining from that stupid mortal about her child and fiancé. She was lucky, and the worst part was like so many of the mortals she had no idea how lucky she was! Also, the only reason she worked for him was because Kagome continuously hired those useless descendants of brat and his brainless bitch. No matter how he tried to sever ties with his past it appeared his pack had other plans, and Kagome had a soft spot for Kohaku's descendants. He hated them, and Noto Asami was no exception, in five hundred years of enduring the Kohaku line he knew he did not particularly like them. If he could fire her without the entire wrath of his pack and the violation of the Treaty he would boot her ass to the curb. However, it was a violation of the Treaty.

No matter, the Treaty ran out of time and power this coming year, Kagome would officially break the hold that Fate had on the well, July 31st, finally dissolving the Treaty from the humans, the gods were a different matter and not one he intended to contend with. However, the human side of the Treaty would be over. Thank Kami for that, he'd be free to look for his mate. Just as he wanted to do.

Rin was really the only think he cared about at this point.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	315. All A Dream, No: Chapter 5

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Live:**_ To Enjoy Or Make the Most of Life; To Be In a State of Happiness; as, People Want Not Just to Exist, But To __**Live**__…_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"Are you certain about this? Our train leaves at six," Sachiko reminded her.

"I know, and I'll meet you at the station! Don't pick up any trouble Sachiko!" Rin called out as she jogged off before her friend could come with her to the Higurashi Shrine. It was for the best if she could just do this alone. Her phone buzzed in her hand, lifting it up she smiled at the text from Bakusaiga, then the incoming texts from Arashi and Yasei. Smiling she slipped the phone in her pocket as she looked at the map she had once had so long ago with the Higurashi Shrine circled as she guessed her needed bus to get her to them.

Sitting on the bus Rin sighed as she stared out the window at the passing, lively city of the modern era. It was amusing to remember how terrifying this all had been to her once, it was still terrifying to be in a vehicle of any kind but she felt she was mastering that fear slowly and surely. Rin bit her lip as she clutched the envelope in her fingers, her heart was hammering mercilessly in ribs as the fine April morning whisked past her through the city.

Finally she arrived at the Shrine, shouldering her bag she paid her bus fare as she hopped off then walked towards the Shrine and up the stairs. The letter in her fingers felt like it weighed a ton then, she didn't care though as she squared her shoulders, lifted her chin defiantly and walked up those stairs to the Higurashi family. She was her lord's Rin, a position which she still claimed and she would hold herself with the pride her station demanded, even if she was terrified of severing her final connection with Sesshomaru in this era. After this payment there would be no reason for her to be around or in contact with the Higurashi family, which was a harrowing thought in and of itself.

"Hello there!" the elder waved his hand. Rin smiled.

"Morning, Ichirō, and how are you this fine morning?" Rin asked as she slowly approached the elder.

"Oh! Mikadzuki! I never expected to see you again, I am well enough. How about you?" the elder asked her.

"Oh, I'm great, I was in the city with a friend for the weekend and I wanted to give this to Sumiko," Rin explained as she walked with the elder. The older man gave her a scrutinizing glare as he looked her over.

"Sumiko is in the house, Kagome went to the movies on a date! Poor lad, doesn't know what he's missing, she's still in love with that hoodlum," Ichirō sighed with a shake of his head.

"Is that so?" Rin mused remembering that day about four years ago one August when she had flipped on the city's news and seen a child's rendering of Inuyasha claiming 'dog man' had saved her from the fire; Rin had toppled over laughing at the 'hoodlum in a red kimono' description. Kami was that ever funny! She was going to torment Inuyasha with that when she met up with him again.

"Yes, poor Hojo," Ichirō said.

"Yes, poor Hojo," Rin agreed solemnly though her heart went out to Inuyasha and all those 'sit' commands his wife loved to give him when he irritated her. It wasn't Hojo Rin felt sorry for.

"Oh, and Sōta has a date too! Only fourteen and he's dating, though I guess that's normal for the youngsters these days," Ichirō chuckled.

"I suppose," Rin shrugged. When she was from people as young as twelve were married and having babies, so fourteen wasn't all that young in her mind to begin experimenting in looking for love in a companion. Though she had never had to worry about that; she always had Sesshomaru.

"Oh Rin! my how you've matured, and Ichirō you should be resting you know what the doctor said about your health!" Sumiko appeared then and Rin smiled at the sight of her old friend.

"Bah, what do these doctors know anyways!? I'm healthy as an ox!" Ichirō declared.

"Uh-huh, go inside and rest, can't have you collapsing again," Sumiko ordered. The old man grumbled as he left them to go inside. Rin chuckled a bit.

"I swear, if it's not one thing it's another with that man," Sumiko grumbled.

"I'm sorry for my unannounced visit, but I have the final payment with me and since I was in the city I thought to deliver it rather than mail it." She said softly as she handed the envelope to the older woman.

"Oh, but Rin you didn't have to," Sumiko said softly.

"No I didn't, however, I wanted to. Besides, I have hopes that you can pass a message along to someone should they come looking for me," Rin said softly as she pulled out the note.

"Oh? I didn't think anyone would be coming after you after everything that happened with ketsueki bureido," Sumiko said.

"No, if he comes, you'll know him, I just, I can't find him and I don't think he can find me either. This way… perhaps he will find me, I'm waiting for him," Rin admitted softly and Sumiko looked at the envelope.

"And where am I to send him when he comes looking for you?" Sumiko asked her.

"Ushinawareta-ka, send him to Ushinawareta-ka, I'm waiting for him there," Rin said honestly as she smiled slightly. "Oh, and tell your daughter, Mikadzuki says everything will work out in time."

"Alright. You take care Rin," Sumiko ordered as she left.

"I always do! I'll be fine," Rin insisted as she walked off and headed for the bus station again, she was going to meet up with Sachiko for their last antics of the day before returning home to be respectable moms. Though according to everyone they were very young moms and missing out on life, hence the reason for these crazy weekends.

"Mom! Who was that?" she heard a girl call out behind her.

"An old friend Kagome, and aren't you supposed to be on a date with Hojo!?" Sumiko demanded. Rin just chuckled as she walked away, hopefully she would never have this problem with Arashi or Yasei, and she knew she wasn't likely to have this problem with Bakusaiga, however she couldn't help but worry about this coming in time. Yōkai naturally sought out their mates, and she knew her children would be no different when the time came.

"Excuse me," she murmured as she bumped into a woman.

"Pardon me," a woman replied, Rin caught sight of ruby eyes as they walked away from one another.

"Sōten?" she questioned to herself but then shook her head of such thoughts as she hurried to the bus then hopped on as she headed for the train station.

* * *

"Huh?" Sōten stopped as she turned at sound of her name and that faintly familiar translucent scent wafted through the muggy April air. "Rin?" she turned.

There was nothing there as the bus pulled out of the station then.

"Mama! Itsuki's being mean to me again!" her youngest son screeched and Sōten looked up to the Ookami pack of cubs; all six of Koga's and Ayame's rambuncisious cubs and then to her own three who looked disgruntled. Babysitting for the Ookami pack sucked! Sōten decided.

"Enough! Keep all paws, claws, tails, fangs, ears, appendages, and mean words are to be kept to yourself or so help me I'll electrocute you all!" Sōten snapped, all the children immediately sobered up.

"Now, to the mall! Behave or else," Sōten snarled as their party of ten resumed walking. Still, she looked back to the bus which was disappearing around the corner then up to the famed Higurashi Shrine. She would've sworn to having scented Rin just now, but that was impossible…

Still she dialed Inuyasha's number as they walked.

"It's me, I think I ran into Rin," she said when he answered.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	316. All A Dream, No: Chapter 6

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Home:** _To One's Home or Country; as in the Phrases, Go Home, Come Home, Carry Home…_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"Hey Sachiko!" Rin called out as she spotted her tall friend.

"Rin! I was concerned that you got lost or something," Sachiko teased her and Rin's face balked. She wasn't that inept at navigating this overly complicated, overly loud, overly noisy era!

"I'm offended you even think me so inept," Rin said with as much dignity as she could fake before she and Sachiko were arm in arm laughing happily. Were they ever concerned about their public appearance, no, should they have been, probably. Rin was well aware that she did not behave properly for where she lived, but she didn't care, she had lived enough to know you only lived once and so it had damn well better be worth it. Granted she was on her third life but she stood by the 'you only live once' saying. Besides, if her lord hadn't revived her those first deaths she wouldn't be here, she wouldn't be the mother of two, best friend of Sachiko, and she certainly wouldn't be in alive to love him.

"Well, not as much as Asami but you are hopeless when trying to find where we're going," Sachiko reminded her. She sighed.

"You know, it's been eight years, when will you try to forgive her. She was your best friend at one point, she's the love of Ken'ichi's life, and she's Katsuo's mother; also, life's short and Kami knows she's been working to appease you since she returned," Rin pointed out as they walked towards their platform.

"Rin, I don't know if I can ever forgive her. You know, I hated you when I first met you, you were so determined, so strong, so vital, so alive and you saved me when I wanted you to save Daichi; I know he told you to save me but it didn't stop me from hating you then. But when I needed my friend, my sister in life, my confident after Daichi died and she called me overdramatic and loud and to not call her until something was actually happening because she was busy, and if I was calling because Ken'ichi wanted to talk to her that I needed to not call her until she called me. I'm sorry, but I can't forgive her for making light of my pain and everything I went through because I needed her then, and if you can forgive someone who let you go like that when you needed them, then you are a far better person than I am because I can't forgive her, at least… not yet," Sachiko whispered.

"You know, I've faced taijiya, I've fought warlords, I've challenged dragons, I blew up a palace, I've loved to the point it's a pain, I've hated so much that it's almost devoured me, I've killed, I've healed, but you know the only thing I've ever regretted Sachiko?" Rin looked to her older friend then.

"Hm?"

"That I never forgave those who wronged me. And the worst part is, I can't forgive them now, they're dead Sachiko. And once someone's dead, there's nothing else, there's nothing to forgive because they can't forgive you and you can't forgive yourself. I recommend that when we return home you try, at least try, to forgive her because I can promise that if you don't at least try then you will never forgive yourself."

"And if I can't forgive her?"

"Then the only person you have to live with, is yourself, if you can live with it then fine, but I know for a fact that you can't."

"I promise to try at least," Sachiko whispered. Rin smiled as they boarded their train.

"You know what, that's all I ask of you as an adopted sister." Rin chuckled and then there was a devious gleam in Sachiko's eye then.

"You know, if we could get Nanami and Yasei to get hitched then you'd really be a part of the family…" Sachiko mused.

"They're seven! I am not getting my son married at seven!" Rin screeched in shock as she flopped into her seat with Sachiko.

"Ah, but they'd be so cute together, and we'd be sisters for real!" Sachiko whined.

"Yasei would eat Nanami alive for breakfast and spit her up before you could blink if you're not careful," Rin said flatly as she frowned.

"Ah, you're no fun Rin, besides Yasie likes Nanami," Sachiko argued. Rin shook her head. Yasei and Bakusaiga were both too much like their father to like anyone outside of their pack. Which made herself and Arashi the only females those two males tolerated. Sometimes Rin wondered if her lord had purposely given her two sons exactly like him so she'd miss him more or want to murder him; it was up in the air at this moment as to what his true motive was.

"Tolerates is a better word," Rin amended.

"Rin, you're hopeless, you know that right?" Sachiko chukled.

"So everyone keeps telling me, oh, did you get that special cooking class you were after for your diner?" Rin asked as they settled into their seats.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure I should do it with Nanami, the diner, Mom and Dad, not to mention the state Ken'ichi's in with Asami and Katsuo," Sachiko shook her head, and her bob cut dramatically hit her in the face. Rin just sighed.

"You know, not everything is going to go to hell in a hand basket just because you decide you want to do something for yourself for a change. It's fine to be a selfish creature on occasion; especially in regards to things you love," Rin shrugged.

"Says the woman who refuses to go to any class offered by anyone or returning to school!" Sachiko grumbled as she stabbed her in the ribs with her finger.

"I'll have you know I do not need school! But if you repeat that to my pups I'll murder you and bury your body in the side of the mountain."

"Rin, you are the worst role model ever! And your kids, are ridiculously smart, it's not fair," Sachiko laughed. Rin just sighed as their train jolted and started rolling out of the station. To home they went, though for Rin home wasn't a place but rather a creature whom she could not seem to find as she waited patiently for him with his pups in her care.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	317. All A Dream, No: Chapter 7

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Home:** _To One's Home or Country; as in the Phrases, Go Home, Come Home, Carry Home…_

* * *

**Chapter 7**

"We're back!" Sachiko announced dramatically as they walked into the Yuno estate.

"Mommy!" three kids shouted as they raced from somewhere within the house. Rin grin as she was tackle hugged by her two human looking pups who were happy to see her. Despite Yasei's appearance of indifference she knew her son was happy to be seeing her with the way he had tackle hugged her and the slight smile on his lips. Arashi was not holding back in her joy as she practically strangle-hugged her, Rin was gasping for air.

"Oh thank Kami!" a man sighed as he appeared behind the pups and the kids.

"Hey Ken'ichi, how was the weekend?" Sachiko as she held up her seven year old daughter Nanami.

"Long, you two evil women dropped three kids on me, Asami and Katsuo; not to mention what Mom and Dad think of that!" Ken'ichi started in on his lecture but Rin didn't care as she shouldered her bag again. Silently she directed her pups out of the house while Ken'ichi was distracted and Asami wasn't around, Sachiko winked as she left and Rin snickered. Poor Ken'ichi, when he realized they were no longer there, oh well; there was work to be done up at home. With a pup on either side of her, a smile in place she just waved off Kasuo and Airi again as she left the Yuno family farm and they waved back but continued their quiet work.

"So were you two good?" Rin asked once they were on the road heading up to Ushinawareta-ka.

"Yep, perfect angels!" Arashi said too quickly with a happy smile as she balance-walked the ruined wall on the side of the road.

"Uh-huh, Yasei?" Rin lifted her brows at her elder son.

"She sneezed, tail and everything," Yasei smirked. Rin sighed and looked at her grumpy daughter before shaking her head. If only Sesshomaru were here to teach her to control her forms, but he wasn't and Rin had no way of teaching her daughter to control her forms. Rin only had one form and this was it.

"I didn't mean to, and only Kazuo and Yasei saw me," she dismissed.

"You're lucky then, because what if it had been Asami or Katsuo?" Rin challenged and watched her now hanyō looking daughter's dog ears droop a bit. The gravity of the situation was something her pups needed to worry about, though it seemed to be something which they didn't worry about. Rin just didn't want them to be persecuted for being different; for there was nothing wrong with being different. However, humans rarely liked that which was different from them and were very fearful of those who were different.

"I'm trying Mama," Arashi mumbled and Rin saw the tears her daughter was trying to hold back.

"I know baby, I know, but these are things we're going to work on. And one day you won't have to worry about how different you are or your appearance because you'll be accepted for who you are," Rin said as she took her daughter's small clawed hand.

"Alright Mama," Arashi sniffled.

"Humans are stupid anyway, they won't notice you're silver rather than black," Yasei shrugged indifferently. Rin burst into laughter for that was a very Sesshomaru thing to say, and it made her remember her mate as she hugged her second son.

"MOM!" Yasei yelped as he struggled against her.

"Suffer with it Yasei," Rin ordered, and heard Arashi laughing like a loon behind her. Standing up Rin resumed her walk home with her pups.

"Did you see Dad?" Arashi asked her after a long while in the companionable silence of their family.

"No, but I left him a note," Rin admitted happily with ease as they finally walked up the final road to Ushinawareta-ka.

"What'd you say?" Yasei demanded happily.

"Just that we're waiting for him at Ushinawareta-ka," Rin said simply. She didn't mention that she had painstakingly avoided mentioning the fact of their pups in the brief note she had left for him. It was a precaution in her mind, just in case an enemy should find the letter before her lord; she didn't want the worst to happen and someone try to kidnap his pups and ransom them from him. If Sesshomaru found out about Yasei and Arashi that way then there was a real possibility in her mind of him calling them liars, tracking down the kidnappers and her pups and that would be the end of that. And it wouldn't be good.

Besides, she had learned her lesson four years ago about kidnappings and ransoms when Yasei and Arashi had been taken by a ragtag group of yōkai who figured to try to ransom them off of Sesshomaru. And those yōkai had had the intention of killing her pups. Needless to say, they hadn't lived long once Rin had tracked them down with her eldest son in hand and hacked them to bits for threatening her pups.

"That's all?" Yasei asked blandly.

"Yes," Rin admitted as she unlocked the front door where Bakusaiga's phantom form was lounging and reading a book. "Hello Bakusaiga, how was your weekend?"

_Quiet_, was his answer as they all walked around him. Phantom or no they did not walk through him; it was rude and it made him feel alive when he wasn't walked through.

"That's nice," Rin said as she dropped her bags at the stairs up to the loft which was her room.

"Mom left father a note," Yasei filled in his older brother. Bakusaiga looked about thirteen now with ruffled silver hair.

_Oh? What'd you say?_ he asked as her pups trailed her to the kitchen.

"Nothing much, just that we're here at Ushinawareta-ka," Rin filled them in as she began making dinner for the sun was already setting.

_That's it?_ Bakusaiga gaped at her.

"Yes, and before you think that's too vague, I'll warn you now that your father is a very intelligent male inu daiyōkai and he'll figure it out," Rin said sharply.

_That wasn't why I was protesting, Kagome made up some stupid rules in the turn of the century,_ Bakusaiga shrugged.

"And when has Sesshomaru ever followed the rules?" Rin questioned as she looked in the fridge for the ingredients she'd need for a simple omelet.

_Umm…_ Bakusaiga frowned in thought.

"Exactly, I'm glad you see it my way," Rin chuckled as Yasei and Arashi eagerly wiggled around while waiting for their food.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	318. All A Dream, No: Chapter 8

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Home:** _To One's Home or Country; as in the Phrases, Go Home, Come Home, Carry Home…_

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Sesshomaru arrived in Tokyo to see his half-brother and youngest niece waiting for him when he walked out of the airport. Aoi grinned at him as she toddled forward, he caught her before she toppled over into the pavement and held her level to him as she giggled happily.

"Maru!" the three year old declared happily.

"Aoi," he stated coldly. The toddler giggled as she hugged his neck. Despite his indifferent matter Sesshomaru was really good at handling pups from Inuyasha's pack, they all loved his attention and loved him. He supposed he was only good with children because of raising Rin, but then again, he also could be so liked by the pups because he did not treat any child as if they were stupid.

"Papa! I got Maru!" Aoi declared happily as they approached Inuyasha.

"So I see," Inuyasha mused fondly at his daughter before turning to scowl at him. "Anything new?"

"No," Sesshomaru answered.

"Good, well, we might have had a development on the matter of Rin here," Inuyasha supplied.

"When?" Sesshomaru demanded, his attention sharpening at this.

"This past weekend, but we've exhausted all our resources and have come up with nothing. I've confirmed she was at Toran's club this past weekend, perhaps with a friend but the film obscures their images. And Sōten saw her when they passed the Higurashi Shrine while heading to the mall. The Ookami cubs all say nothing was there, but Sōten would never lie about this." Sesshomaru finished buckling Aoi into her car seat then and he walked around the front of the car to get in the driver's side before starting the engine. It was an alpha thing, he supposed, always needing to be in control and in charge, it was just a habit also. A habit from the old era.

"Hn," he replied.

"We'll talk to the Higurashi's about in August when Kagome intends to take us over for the grand introductions." Inuyasha shrugged, Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he drove through the traffic he despised with a passion.

"Masaru?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Still in the wind, and we still have no idea just what Ushinawareta-ka means. Kagome's never heard of it." Inuyasha informed him. Sesshomaru didn't mention that he had been looking into it on his end over the past five hundred years, he didn't know just what Ushinawareta-ka meant, other than Lost Home, but it was a clue he was researching extensively.

"Also, you should know the only reason I'm even mentioning this is because I scented her myself, she's here Sesshomaru, somewhere."

"Hn," was his response.

"Hn!" a girl imitated which had both him and Inuyasha looking behind them at his niece. The blue eyed, dog eared, midnight colored girl sat there smiling with a face which looked just like Izayoi's once had and giggling happily.

"Kagome's going to kill you when she finds out you taught her daughter 'hn' as an answer," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Sit," was all he said and it had his brother paling drastically. In five hundred years of their marriage Kagome had never removed the beads of subjugation the old miko, Kaede had forged from Inuyasha's own fangs. It still worked like a charm to threaten him with sit; for voice recordings of Kagome saying it worked just as well as her actually saying it; much to everyone's delight. The current era made the threat much more dangerous for Inuyasha.

"Sit Papa!" Aoi said happily.

"Ha! Only works with your mother!" Inuyasha declared childishly. Sesshomaru slammed on the breaks, Inuyasha hit the dash and he looked to Aoi who was giggling madly then.

"It works," he informed the pup. She was laughing even harder, Inuyasha was grumbling as he pulled himself up to glower at him. Sesshomaru didn't care though as he resumed his driving with the traffic and they made their way to the opposite side of Tokyo from the Shrine and pulled into one of the towering skyscrapers which most of the Clan heads resided in.

"Who's Rin?" Aoi asked when they parked. Inuyasha paled, Sesshomaru just unbuckled his seat as he got out of the car to get his niece.

"Rin is my mate and your aunt," he stated indifferently. Though he did not like speaking about Rin he understood pups' and their curiosity, Rin had once been full of it. And so he could tolerate the innocent curiosity the pup had as he pulled her out of the car with ease.

"Oh," Aoi said as he set her on the ground and went to retrieve his bags.

"Aoi, Rin was the bravest human ever and she meant a lot to your uncle. She was kind, she was brave, she was strong, she was fierce, and she was alive in a way I could never explain. That's who Rin is," Inuyasha explained to this daughter as he picked her up.

"Oh," the girl said solemnly.

"Now, you want to go play with the Kasai pups?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yeah!" she squealed excitedly as she squirmed in his arms and they walked away leaving Sesshomaru alone with his thoughts. Had he ever thought about who Rin was? Yes. And he did not think Rin would've changed all that much since they had last been together. She was very sure of who she was in her life and what her purpose was. However it also brought up many of the questions he hid to himself: Where was she? How was she? What had happened to her? And when would they be together again?

Did it matter to him that she might or might not break his curse?

No.

All he had dreamt about for the past five hundred years was being with her again, just to have a moment of her company, to have a chance to see her again. And after the disappearance of Bakusaiga Sesshomaru felt more alone than he had ever felt at any other point in his life without Rin.

But Rin was alive, he could feel her pulse just beneath the surface of their bond. She was alive; and he was going to find her.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	319. All A Dream, No: Chapter 9

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Home:** _To One's Home or Country; as in the Phrases, Go Home, Come Home, Carry Home…_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Getting ready for school was a bit of a challenge the next morning, Rin found that Asami sitting in her drive blaring her horn.

"Hurry up Rin! I'm going to the city!" Asami shouted.

"You know, for being a mother of one you'd think she'd have more patience," Rin sighed as she shoved bento boxes at her pups.

"I'd rather walk," Arashi grumbled.

"Aa," Yasei agreed.

So glad I'm a ghost and don't have to go to school! Bakusaiga grinned.

"Oh, just you wait, the moment I figure out how to make you solid you're going to school," Rin warned her phantom teen who merely rolled his eyes. "I saw that, now school. Sachiko will pick you both up and take you to the diner afterschool with Nanami, and behave, Arashi no shifting."

"Do we have to go with Asami!" Arashi whined.

"Yes, go," Rin opened the door and glared at Asami who was storming up to her porch.

"For the love of all that's holy Rin, can't you get your kids to do anything you say on time!?" Asami criticized.

"I do, but seeing as how they are children, and children do not comply to time schedules, we're not on your time schedule, and Ken'ichi is the one who takes them to school usually, not you," Rin snapped as she picked up Arashi and grabbed Yasei's hand as she took them to the shiny car. Part of her was tempted to go grab Bakusaiga and slice this car apart but she would refrain.

"I can't believe that I'm quitting my job to live in this godforsaken country side again. Now I'm marrying Ken'ichi, and I have to put up with Sachiko and now there's Rin. Everything fucking hates me or something!" Asami grumbled.

"Did you ever stop thinking about yourself long enough to think about what you did to Ken'ichi?" Rin snapped after loading her pups into the car. "Or Sachiko?"

"What are you talking about?" Asami snapped.

"I'm talking about the fact that you showed up earlier this year with a child you denied Ken'ichi and now, while you are willing to do anything for Sachiko, you still aren't a friend to them, you just expect them to want you back. And all you do is bitch about your and the sacrifices you've been making, and moving back into the country to be with Ken'ichi. And yet you still only talk about that stupid job, and pine for a man who will never want you. My advice Asami, get over yourself, and be kinder!" Rin hissed.

"You have no right to talk to me like that!" Asami snapped.

"I have a right to speak to you however I see fit, I just see an immature child before me who is too self absorbed to even try to like her new life," Rin stated as she waved her pups off and watched Asami glare at her.

Rin sighed the moment she was alone, one of the cruelest things about life was that it was unpredictable, and it never went as plan. Rubbing her brow Rin felt like an old woman then, so tired, so alone, and so lost, she was so tired of all that.

_She's a bitch mama,_ Bakusaiga stated as he materialized beside her.

"Yes she is," Rin chuckled.

_Are you alright mama?_

"I'm just… I'm tired, Bakusaiga, and that's allowed, I'm human, and I get tired and overwhelmed."

_Father was tired a lot too, moments he was alone._ Her pup informed her.

Rin sighed as she smiled at her eldest son.

"Life is tiring, it's not depressing, it's not horrible, but it's draining, and right now I'm drained."

_Will you be alright_

"I always am," she promised. "Now, do you want to go hunting or fishing?"

_Fishing!_ Bakusaiga smirked.

"Alright, fish for dinner, I'll tell Ken'ichi I'm at the river," Rin mused as she picked up the walkie-talkie she was required to carry around with her on the mountain. Ken'ichi had apparently gotten tired of her never having her phone on her or being in range for a call.

"Ken'ichi, Ken'ichi," she called into the static of the device.

"Hey Rin," was the replied a few moments later.

"I'm with Bakusaiga at the river if you need me, we're fishing," she stated.

"Mind sharing?" he asked.

"Not at all, I'll get enough for all of us," Rin chuckled.

"Thanks Rin, I'll get you if anything happens."

"Alright," she chuckled as she finished the talk with Ken'ichi and clipped the radio on her belt loop. A lot had changed in eight years, and Rin didn't even know how she had gotten here or how she was still going, all she knew was that she was missing her lord, and she was living for her pups. And in a small way, very small, she had found her contentment in this solitude, and she had found a peace in the family which had adopted her, and she had found acceptance in the village as a healer. But still, there was deep longing within her which yearned for her to find her lord.

However, her sole focus, as the alpha female of her pack, and the mother of Sesshomaru's pups, was the safety and care of her pack until she found Sesshomaru again. And as yōkai as that sounded, she was standing beside it because she couldn't, and she wouldn't be responsible for losing her pups. Ever.

Besides, Sesshomaru would come for her, he always did. It was just taking longer this time, and once they were together again she was never leaving his side.

Picking up a bow and arrows she walked with Bakusaiga who talked to her about all the on going on the mountain, as well as the odd spirits he was encountering as of late.

Rin just chuckled as they made it to the river.

"It sounds like you're not the only mystical thing on this mountain now; are you jealous?" she teased.

_No,_ he snapped.

"Yup, you're jealous," she chuckled.

_I am not!_ He defended, but his father's scowl was on his face and Rin knew her son was jealous as she chuckled at her pup.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	320. All A Dream, No: Chapter 10

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Home:** _To One's Home or Country; as in the Phrases, Go Home, Come Home, Carry Home…_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

InuKimi looked down at London and sighed, Rin just wouldn't make this easy, for anyone, and InuKimi hoped that it was unintentional.

Then again with Rin it ws never known what was and wasn't intentional. The woman was a walking conundrum and InuKimi found that endearing and maddening. She sighed then, she could barely remember what Rin looked like, it caused her soul to ache knowing that her son was probably in the same predicament. But five hundred years could fade memories if they weren't careful. Rin was faded, she wasn't gone, but she was faded.

In some ways InuKimi felt that while Rin was a ghost of a memory she was also a vital memory which brought a storm with her, forcing people to remember her.

Oh Kami how InuKimi missed the girl. her head lifted then as she looked down at the city and turned around. Rin was probably hiding, she was probably safe, and Rin was doing what Rin did best and awaiting her son to find her wherever she was. And knowing Rin that could be anywhere, the girl was very good at blending in and adapting.

"My lady, your son has left," Jaken informed her.

A smirk curled her lips.

"I know Jaken, a few days late on the notice," she pointed out sadly.

"I am?"

"Thank you Jaken," she murmured. Time was a cruel thing slowly stealing everything from Sesshomaru.

* * *

Arashi was swinging her feet as she read over the biochemistry book Mr. Kurosaki had given her. it was fascinating! She couldn't recall being so enthralled with a book when there was a tap on her should and she glanced over at Nanami.

"Ears!" her friend whispered.

Arashi felt a blush form on her cheeks as she nodded and focused on remaining human. It wasn't fair that she had to focus so hard on looking human!

"Better," Nanami grinned.

"Hey Arashi!" both she and Namai looked up then as Katsuo walked over to them with a smile.

"Katsuo," she smiled a bit then and looked at the page number of her book; 493, before she shut it.

"Didn't you hear that there's a field trip! Whole school!" he grinned.

"Really!?" Arashi blinked and grinned.

"The Tokyo Zoo! I was looking for Yasei, have you seen him?"

"Uh… he was doing triganomy, or something, in the school yard, I think," Nanami answered.

"What?"

"Math," Arashi simplified because her friend had butchered the pronunciation of what her brother was doing.

"Whoa, you and your brother are really smart," Katsuo blinked.

"Uh… no," she shook her head and Katsuo chuckled.

"Gotta go, oh, and Mom says we're living here now, officially," Katsuo grinned. Arashi just watched the older boy jog off and then shrugged. Nanami went back to her coloring and Arashi picked up her book again.

"What's a Zoo?" Arashi asked.

"Uh…" Nanami blinked at her.

* * *

Yasei liked math, math was simple, it was logical, and it was easy. He could focus on it and never have to worry about accidentally turning silver. That would be bad, because only Nanami and her family knew about him, his brother, and his sister.

Biting his lip his brow furrowed in concentration as he pondered the approach to his problem before he started doing the math. It was easy once he knew how to start he just flowed with it.

"Yasei!" a voice called up and Yasei looked up to see Katsuo jogging up to him. Earlier this year Katsuo had transferred to his school and his mother had started dating his father; again. Yasei had tried to be a friend to the boy, but truthfully, Yasei didn't fully trust him. Besides, Yasei had to look out for his sister, mother and brother, he wouldn't let anyone be a threat to his pack and he didn't know if Katsuo was or wasn't a threat yet.

"What is it?" he asked the older child then.

"There's a field trip, the who school, we're going to the Tokyo Zoo!" Katsuo announced excitedly. Yasei cocked his head as he thought this over before he looked up at the older boy.

"What's a zoo?"

"You know, a place to see the animals!"

"Can't you just walk the forest to see the wildlife?" or hunt it?

"Uh… yeah, but come on! we'll be seeing tigers and pandas!"

"Sounds… interesting," Yasei concluded. He still wasn't sure what a zoo was.

* * *

Sesshomaru woke up to a soft knock on his door which had him sighing as he dragged his hand through his silver hair and he sat up to get the door. opening it he looked around to see no one until he caught the small scent of his niece and he sighed as his mokomoko caught the toddling toddler before he shut the door.

"Aoi," he acknowledge.

"Maru!" she giggled.

"What are you doing?" he asked the child bluntly as his tail lifted her.

"Daddy and Mommy fighting," she giggled.

"Ah," he nodded.

"Food!"

"Hn," he grunted as he set the girl down and ran a hand over his face and wondered how in the world his life was entertaining Kagome and Inuyasha's youngest child. Pulling out some basic supplies he decided to give Aoi western pancakes just to keep her quiet.

It wasn't like when he'd had Rin and Rin would feed herself, and he was pretty certain Aoi could burn the entire complex down if she was forced to take care of herself.

"Zoo for my birthday!" Aoi sang as she clambored up onto his counter without his help.

"Hn?"

"Zoo!" she shouted.

"Ah," he nodded.

"Pweaze!" she pouted.

"Tell your father, then perhaps," he conceded. Aoi wasn't his child; else he'd just take her to the zoo, and he wasn't going to interfere with Inuyasha and his pack. No, Sesshomaru wouldn't.

"Kay!" she giggled.

"SIT!" was roared, Sesshomaru cocked his head as he heard crashing.

Aoi giggled hysterically.

* * *

**Sorry for the update delay, I'm cursed, and bad luck and bad news always come my way. *Sigh*, time to get back up and get to work.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same =)**


	321. All A Dream, No: Chapter 11

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Exploration:** _The Act of Exploring, Penetrating, or Ranging Over for Purposes of Discovery, Especially of Geographical Discover; Examination; as, the __**Exploration**__ of Unknown Countries…_

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Rin was working over her field when she sat back on the balls of her bare feet and sighed. It was late summer now, and it was close to the harvest. She was busy, not to mention all the work she'd been doing as a healer as of late. It was like the people of the village thought her to be a doctor, and asked her to help her with all sorts of ailments. Rin was happy to be a healer again but she was also a realist and knew she couldn't help everyone. This era's medicine was so much more than what she had had, and she found it a bit enviable.

"Hey Rin!" a voice called out which had Rin looking over her shoulder as she stood and walked over to the vehicle she had heard coming.

"Hey Kazumi," she greeted the other woman as she pulled off her gloves and smiled a bit at her. "What is it?"

"My father's knees," she sighed.

"Oh, come in, I need a moment," Rin admitted as she walked to her house; her big, beautiful, quiet house! Oh how Rin had come to love this house. She missed Sesshomaru, she missed her lord something fierce, but she was finding contentment where she was.

"I'm sorry to just barge in like this," Kazumi, a local from the village said.

"It's fine, I was about to go to the Yuno farm, pick up Yasei and Arashi," Rin smiled.

"Sachiko said you had done up the old place well, I just didn't know it was so homely," Kazumi muttered.

"It is my home," Rin pointed out as she pulled out the needed herbs from her pantry.

"I know, but it used to be abandoned. Oh, your kids are in Namai's and Haru's class right?" Kazumi asked.

"Yes," she smiled.

"There's a coming fieldtrip, the permission slips are coming home today," Kazumi said. "I'll be chaperoning, what about you?"

"Um… no, I don't… I'm, I'm not leaving the mountain," Rin admitted. Truthfully she wasn't overly fond of the city, even when she visited it with Sachiko she wasn't comfortable there.

"That's fine, I'll make sure to keep your kids safe," Kazumi winked.

"I'm certain that if one were foolish enough to try to take or harm Yasei or Arashi they would be returned swiftly or I would track them down and disembowel the idiot who took them," Rin smiled.

"And that is why this village loves you Rin," Kazumi chuckled.

"I thought it was because I was the village healer," Rin mused as she handed over the herbs. "Remember it's best served in a tea in the morning and before bed."

"Thank you Rin," Kazumi called out as she sauntered out of the house. Rin sighed.

_I want to go on a field trip_, Bakusaiga announced as he materialized.

"When we figure out how to make you solid and real you'll go on field trips," Rin smiled.

_Good. Are you certain father will receive the note? _He asked.

"Yes, my lord is not stupid or foolish, and your father is looking for us," she promised.

_If you're sure_, Bakusaiga muttered.

"I am."

_I wonder where Yasei and Arashi will be going; you're going to let them go right?_

"Of course, they are growing up. I just hope they don't turn silver," Rin sighed.

_I know_, he shrugged.

"Alright, I have to go get them, do you want to go with me?"

_Sure._

* * *

Sesshomaru was looking over the documents he had on some work which needed his attention, and then he was going to go to the well tonight to inspect it again. There had to be a hint as to if Rin was or wasn't in this era. He just…

He wanted to know.

There was a bite on his leg which had him looking under the desk at where Aoi was and she stared up at him with innocent blue eyes.

"Aoi," he growled lowly.

"Maru!" she smiled, but she faultered as her ears fell flat against her head.

"Chew on this," he ordered coldly as he handed the pup a toy of hers which litered his office. He wondered how it was that he was often times with Aoi rather than her parents; shouldn't they notice that their toddler was missing?

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha's frantic voice bellowed as he threw open the office.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru coldly acknowledged.

"Have you seen Aoi!? We can't find her!" Inuyasha started scanning the office and Sesshomaru heard Aoi's giggle, Inuyasha snapped to attention then. "Oh thank Kami!"

"Keep better track of your offspring," Sesshomaru sighed as he reached under the desk and pulled out Aoi who was giggling. The pup preened a bit as she settled in his lap.

"Just wait until Rin returns and you two start having pups! They're a handful at this age!" Inuyasha huffed.

"Hn," Sesshomaru grunted; actually, he thought all of his nieces and nephews were fun at this age, they were so innocent and curious, it was a nice change compared to the rest of the pack.

"She'll come back, Sesshomaru, she always comes back," Inuyasha sighed.

"Inuyasha, concern yourself with your own pack," Sesshomaru suggested as he handed Aoi over to her father.

"Zoo! Birthday zoo!" Aoi sang.

"Talk to Inuyasha," Sesshomaru ordered.

"What!? You know what this is about?" he asked.

"She will not be silent about it," Sesshomaru stated grimly as his brother walked out with his niece. Sesshomaru sighed as he rubbed his temple and then he stared out at his desk. When he and Rin had pups; Sesshomaru had had a pup! Bakusaiga had been his son, and now he too was gone. Just like Rin. Taking a steadying breathe he stood up as he turned to stare out the window.

He didn't believe he was destined to lose all his family, his mate, his pup, his future, but good Kami there were days he felt like the fate's hated him and just took pleasure in taking it all from him. But soon he'd find her, soon he'd have her with him again. And if she didn't show up soon he would figure out how to fix that fucking well so he could go through it and track her down to whenever she was.

* * *

**Hey... Long Time No Update... Sorry!**

**But I have a legitimate reason for my lack of updates aside from Murphy's Law ruling my life.**

**I sent off three of my books, a few months back, and I've received two rejection notices so far. Yipee!? Rejections are both good and bad, so... I'm not certain how to feel about this. Anyway, I'm awaiting my third rejection notice, working on another book to submit for publication (which will probably be rejected), and I haven't been having a great life at the moment, making me busy. Sorry for the lack of updates, but we're getting regular again!**

**Also, I've been job hunting; which epically sucks by the way, and I've been dealing with sick dog, my family, and I've been drowning with all the shit that seems determined to blow up on my family. But I'm back.**

**Oh, and I've decided to join Archive of Our Own; same user name.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	322. All A Dream, No: Chapter 12

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Exploration:** _The Act of Exploring, Penetrating, or Ranging Over for Purposes of Discovery, Especially of Geographical Discover; Examination; as, the __**Exploration**__ of Unknown Countries…_

* * *

**Chapter 12**

InuKimi was concerned for Rin, it had been five hundred years since anyone had seen her, and InuKimi knew Magatsuhi's curse had been broken the day the Treaty had been finalized.

She remembered because as her son had walked away he'd collapsed, there'd been a surge of darkness pulling through his skin and emerging like a shadow before a horrific scream pierced the air and the shadow ripped itself apart, vanishing. InuKimi had dragged her pup, her son, to shelter and examined his bloodstained self, looking for the reason for such evil to exist.

It was when he opened his eyes and sat up that she found out about the curse Magatsuhi had placed on him. Rin had leapt down the well to break the curse; how or what had happened she didn't know, all she knew was that her pup was now free of the poison which had been slowly killing him.

Now it was five hundred years later, the humans had forgotten about the yōkai, and Rin still had yet to reappear. Sighing she stared down upon the city and wondered why it was that Rin hadn't returned. The curse was broken, her son was just awaiting his mate, and she awaiting her grandpups. She just… she wanted her pup happy again. Sesshomaru wasn't happy without Rin.

Also, she wanted grandpups of her own, not just InuTaisho's.

* * *

Kagome sat at the playground watching her kids and she smiled softly as she enjoyed the day. There were things which she missed, terribly missed, after five hundred years she missed her family and seeing them. But mostly, she missed adventure. Before the fifties there'd always been an adventure right around the corner. Now there was nothing, everything was done, and everything was complete.

"Hey Sōten," she smiled at her friend when the yōkai appeared.

"Hey Kagome," she smiled as she sat on the park bench.

"How's everything going?" she asked as they watched the kids play.

"Same old, same old," Sōten sighed. "Inuyasha said that Rin's possibly back. Shippo's been scouring everything he can to find her, he's hoping she'll come home."

"If Rin wanted to come home she'd have come home by now," Kagome stated flatly. She firmly believed the only reason Rin hadn't returned to them at all was because she was being dramatic and making their lives difficult.

"Rin's… mysterious," Sōten decided as they continued to watch the kids.

"No, she's doing this to get attention, so we divert all our attention and lives on her for five hundred years. She should just come home," Kagome sighed.

"You do realize that she was stabbed, in the chest, according to Sesshomaru-sama? Right?" Sōten asked.

"So he says and Sesshomaru doesn't always tell the truth," Kagome dismissed and Sōten frowned. "Rin's just doing this for attention."

"And if there is something wrong?"

"She'd come home!"

* * *

Sōten greatly disagreed with Kagome's statement, but she kept her mouth shut to keep the peace. Sōten hadn't known Rin well, not by any means, however they'd both been trained by InuKimi-sama, and drama was not something InuKimi-sama permitted. Even Shiori hadn't been that dramatic.

Then there was Kagome, who was just walking theatrics, the woman should have been in the theatre or something.

No matter, Sōten believed that they would fine Rin before the year was out, and when they did Sōten didn't think she'd be hanging around Kagome for a while.

Rin wasn't being dramatic, and Sōten firmly believed this. But she was not having the argument with Kagome.

"I hope we find her soon," Sōten decided.

"We will, it's not like Rin can hide forever. Though if she's really mated to Sesshomaru I understand why she'd want to stay hidden," Kagome said.

"Some would say the same about being mated to Inuyasha," Sōten pointed out, silently adding the 'and you'.

"Inuyasha is a perfect gentleman!"

Sōten snorted and she smiled a bit when she watched the pups play. It was nice to be out here. just not when Kagome was in her bitch moods, which she clearly was at the moment. It was going to be a fine day when Rin stepped back into the pack dynamics and hopefully knocked Kagome back down to her place. Sōten knew that InuKimi hadn't raised some weakling, and Rin would be hell on Kagome when she returned.

* * *

To be honest…

Ken'ichi had no idea of letting Rin's pups go on a field trip was wise, or acceptable, or even healthy for the other parties involved.

These two, though far too smart for their own good, were walking magnets for trouble, and with their constantly shifting forms and colors, it didn't help. Which was why he was grinning as he watched the kids play and he waited for Rin.

His son had taken to Rin's pups quickly, and Rin's kids, though more reluctant, had also befriended his son. It was nice, especially as he watched Katsuo tackle Arashi and she leapt back up and tore after Nanami.

"Why doesn't Rin let her kids out on school trips?" Asami asked as she sat beside him.

"Arashi and Yasei were taken when they were three years old, Rin was frantic," he said. Actually Rin been icily calm as she had tracked down her pups' would be kidnappers. "When we found the kids they were about to be driven into the city. Rin just worries for their safety, especially with who their father is."

"Who's the father?"

"She hasn't told anyone, just that he's very dangerous and powerful man," Ken'ichi lied.

"Yakuza?"

He shrugged.

"Well, she must be a Yakuza boss's daughter, I don't know why else she'd be so… that," Asami shrugged.

"Not really," Ken'ichi admitted. If he ever got the chance to, he'd love to actually just tell the world Rin's story.

"She's here," Asami said and he looked up when her children bolted for the road. Bakusaiga was on her hip and he smirked; he'd go up to her place tomorrow and play games with Bakusaiga.

* * *

**Thanks for the support on the rejections, but you should know I'm not really saddened by the rejections. I've gotten to the point where it's: Yay! They finally accepted a story of mine! or Oh well, next story and try again. I'm persistent, not optimistic about getting published. But thank you for the words of support.**

**Oh, and a word of warning, I am cutting stories because I need to cut back (SORRY!) But I will be finishing Never Be the Same, Still Hate You, I'm Pain, She's Healing, Wrong Number But Don't Hang Up!. If I should, after I complete a few of my stories and have managed to cut things back to manageable, I will be willing repost and complete the stories I cut. Sorry, I just need manageable at this moment and this wasn't an easy choice to make but it's the right one for the stories, my sanity, and you readers.**

**Also, I'm now on Archive of Our Own... yay? Still figuring that one out so we'll see how it goes.**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	323. All A Dream, No: Chapter 13

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Exploration:** _The Act of Exploring, Penetrating, or Ranging Over for Purposes of Discovery, Especially of Geographical Discover; Examination; as, the __**Exploration**__ of Unknown Countries…_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

"Mama! Mama! We have a field trip! Can we please go!" Arashi pleaded as she tugged on her hand and Rin sighed reading over the permission slip again. She didn't want her pups to go, however she accepted that this was educational and her pups were growing up. Hell, at their age she was traveling with her lord already, and the world was a bigger place now than it had been then.

"Yes, BUT!, there are rules," Rin said as she sat at the table, Yasei looking up from his book then and arching a perfect silver brown in such a Sesshomaru manner that she wanted to laugh.

"Yes!" Arashi squealed in victory and Rin softened at her pup's enthusiasm.

"What rules?" Yasei asked.

"The same rules that let me agree to sending you to school plus a few others," Rin warned.

"I see," Yasei frowned but Arashi was smiling.

"One, human form only, Arashi, no markings, no silver, no ears, no tail, no yōkai behavior, and absolutely NO shifting," Rin said sharply.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, I'll be a good human looking girl all day!" Arashi promised with a huge smile and Rin sighed because she remembered being that age and smiling like that to her lord to do whatever she wanted.

"I will be speaking with Sachiko about her chaperoning, so you will follow the rules," Rin warned her daughter. Arashi pouted a bit but kept smiling.

"Two, you will stay with your group, there will be no exploring, no ditching the group, and no going into whatever a zoo enclosure is, Yasei," Rin pointedly looked at her son who scowled and she chuckled, he was so like his father.

"Very well," Yasei grumbled.

"Three, no mischief, I don't want to turn on the news and discover that you two have caused some disaster," Rin warned.

Both her pups looked confused at that one but Rin knew better, her pups were walking trouble. It was rather amusing and insane the amount of trouble they could create, a trait which was probably from her but she was blaming their father just as much.

"Four, you two have to stay together, and get along to go, Tokyo is a large place and I don't want you two to be lost or taken, and I do not want you two hurt, understood? If you go you have to stay together, and stay with your class," Rin warned.

This was the most challenging thing about pups, they were a pack but they were so like their father they were determined to be independent in all ways. It would have been funny if Rin wasn't so terrified that something was going to happen to one of them and there'd be no stopping or saving them. Or she'd lose one of them and still have the other, that would break her heart because she couldn't bear the thought of losing either of them.

"Fine," they both glared at each other and she relaxed a bit.

"Good, and five," she said.

They cringed.

"Have fun, the world is large, and you'll explore it all in due time, but have fun. Just don't do something stupid or reckless or get in trouble. Stay smart, and stay with the group," Rin said. They smiled at this and she just sighed as she filled out the permission slips and handed them back to her pups.

They were bouncing for joy as they darted off and Rin sighed.

She wanted so badly for their father to be here, she wanted him back in their lives, she missed him. Standing she walked back out to the field, the storm was rolling in and she let her head fall back as the first rain hit her skin.

"I'm waiting," she promised the wind, there was a roll of thunder in response and for a moment she wondered if that was him before she walked back into her house and made tea while Arashi, Yasei, and Bakusaiga played on the game console.

This would be a nerve wracking two days while her pups went to Tokyo, however she'd put her faith in the chaperons to keep her pups safe.

Not a comforting reality which was why she was picking up the house phone and dialing Sachiko.

* * *

Sesshomaru slipped around the oblivious, younger, version of Kagome and walked up the stairs of the Higurashi Shrine. He didn't want to wait anymore and he was tired. So fucking tired.

He was just going to talk to Kagome's family now, and ask them straight out about the well. Explain, and if they didn't believe him then come August when Kagome decided it was time to see her family, they would believe him. Although having swiped a family photo from Inuyasha's wallet would help in his proof that he wasn't lying.

The rain was pouring and he walked up to the house and lightly knocked, trying to be human polite.

The door opened and he looked into the face of a woman who closely resembled Sango.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm looking for my wife," Sesshomaru said calmly, for that was the human equivalent of what Rin was to him.

"Oh, come in, we have tea," she smiled.

"Thank you," he nodded as he walked in and slipped off his shoes and jacket before following the woman.

"We don't get many visitors anymore. You're looking for your wife? May I ask what happened to her?" the woman asked.

"She was stabbed in the chest, and dropped down a well, on your property now, about eight hundred years ago," he answered, and the woman stiffened.

"That isn't…" she started.

"Do not try to lie to me, woman, your daughter is my brother's mate," he said coldly as he pulled the family photo and dropped it on the table. The woman walked from the stove and picked it up.

"What was your wife's name?" she whispered.

"Rin."

"Mikadzuki Rin, she said you'd come around one day, she even left this for you," the woman said as she produced an envelope from a drawer. Sesshomaru wanted to rip it from the woman but he found himself hesitant to move.

"What did you say your name was?" she whispered.

"I didn't, Narita, Narita Sesshomaru," he answered and the woman smiled.

"You wouldn't happen to be Inuyasha's older brother Sesshomaru?"

"Hn," he grunted.

* * *

**I'm going to admit to stalling because I don't know what I'm going to do with my life when I finish this (well, I do, I go to the next story, but I just love this one so much I don't want it to end!). You can hate me, but good news, regular updates again.**

**Also, life's been a bit of a bitch to me, so I haven't really wanted to write closings. Other than that, back to normal now! Promise!**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	324. All A Dream, No: Chapter 14

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Exploration:** _The Act of Exploring, Penetrating, or Ranging Over for Purposes of Discovery, Especially of Geographical Discover; Examination; as, the __**Exploration**__ of Unknown Countries…_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

"Higurashi Sumiko," the woman smiled and he nodded slightly as he sat at the table with her. "Kagome has told me a lot about you from her adventures through the well," she smiled.

"Hn," he grunted.

"You travel with a Rin," Sumiko said.

"Yes," he said in a tight voice.

"I can assume that the Mikadzuki Rin who came through the well is your Rin?"

"Yes."

"Here," she smiled as she handed him the envelope, he stared at Rin's neat kanji and he just trembled a bit as he stared at it. Kami, it was hers'. She was here, she was alive, she was in this era. He felt his eyes misting as he stared at her writing.

"She is a very strong woman," Sumiko continued. "She saved my son and daughter one night on a would be robbery she botched, the police think she's a yakuza boss's daughter with her combative skills. You taught her?"

"Yes," he replied.

"She's very good, at least, she was eight years ago when she saved my children," Sumiko said.

"She would not allow such a valuable skillset to perish," Sesshomaru stated icily. He knew his mate, he knew she would fight until the bitter end and she'd do it to the best of her abilities. And since he had trained her he knew her to be a formidable woman, and fearless.

"She was here in April, gave me that, asked if anyone came looking for her, to give it to them," Sumiko admitted.

"Thank you," he said softly, and for the first time in a thousand years he truly meant it for someone who wasn't Rin.

"Of course, I rather liked Rin, she was the sort of woman who would shape history if she had been around for it," Sumiko smiled.

"She did," Sesshomaru answered as he stood. "Thank you, again, and your daughter and her family will be returning here at the end of July."

"Family?"

"It has been five hundred years, for us," Sesshomaru pointed out as he left. In his claws, he clutched his most precious possession and he couldn't bring himself to open it until he was somewhere safe and did not risk losing or ruining the link to his mate. He returned to his home, and pulled off his jacket and sat in the chair.

For a long moment he just stared at the envelope before he slowly started to open it and there, on neat paper there was writing, a lingering scent of Rin and another and he just stared at it as he hesitantly pressed his nose to the paper. The other scent was faint, but Rin's was strong for as translucent as it was. Closing his eyes he savored the scent, it was like a drug he'd long since been denied and now it was flooding his system once more.

Kami did he miss her! He pulled away and started reading her writing.

* * *

"Well, yeah, Rin, I was chaperoning, imagine all the trouble Nanami could get into without your daughter's assistance at the zoo," Sachiko said. Rin frowned as she continued making dinner.

"What is a zoo anyway?" Rin asked the phone as she continued chopping the carrots. "I understand that my pups are trouble, but I have absolutely no idea what sort of trouble they could get into at a zoo."

"A zoo is a place with a wild animals on display," Sachiko explained.

"Doesn't sound that dangerous," Rin said.

"Rin, these are tigers, lions and bears," Sachiko replied tartly.

"Oh my," Rin muttered.

"Exactly, and should they get loose it will be a panic, we're not in the edo era where everyone was accustomed to living by their wits and able to battle tigers and dragons at the drop of a hat," Sachiko said.

"I see the problem now," Rin sighed as she dropped the carrots in a boiling pot of water.

"Yes, and your pups are a magnet for trouble, as is Nanami, and the three of them unsupervised by a 'pack mate' will surely have all the animals in the Tokyo Zoo running loose in Tokyo and that would cause mass panic," Sachiko said.

"I don't see the problem, but I understand that it isn't good," Rin said.

"Glad you see that it isn't good, and did you ever fight a tiger?"

"No, I fought a panther yōkai though, four at once, and I stabbed the leader in the eye," Rin replied sweetly.

"I am stuck between awe and horror," Sachiko chuckled.

"Please, my lord is far more terrifying than a panther yōkai," she dismissed as she checked the rick and started cutting up the green onion.

"Hm, I'll keep that in mind should I ever meet the elusive lord," Sachiko said.

"Sesshomaru-sama will like you," Rin predicted as she scooped up the onions.

"Huh, did not think that," Sachiko answered.

"Did you get shrimp from Daichi's brother?" Rin asked.

"Yeah, I'll bring it up tomorrow," Sachiko answered.

"That will taste delicious."

"Yes it will, oh, also, you should know that if I'm chaperoning the pups will stay with me, it's such a long drive to Tokyo that we're staying the night," Sachiko said.

"That is fine, I will handle your restaurant," Rin promised.

"Thank you so much, you know how everything works," Sachiko pointed out.

"I do, I've worked there enough," Rin chuckled.

"Well you can add it to your resume of special skills: healer, assassin, warrior, yōkai tamer, inu daiyōkai lady, mother, mate, time traveler, farmer, and waitress."

"I still could not obtain a job in this era with those skills besides farming," Rin chuckled.

"I don't know, if you were to become a hitman I'm sure you'd excel at it."

"I am not fond of killing, it is merely an evil necessity at times," Rin shrugged.

"Agreed, I'll be up in the morning, later Rin," Sachiko hung up and Rin checked dinner.

"Dinner's almost ready," she called out to her pups who were playing with Bakusaiga in the yard.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	325. All A Dream, No: Chapter 15

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Exploration:** _The Act of Exploring, Penetrating, or Ranging Over for Purposes of Discovery, Especially of Geographical Discover; Examination; as, the __**Exploration**__ of Unknown Countries…_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

"Come on, it's her birthday, it's not the end of the world if she misses one day of school, with her siblings to go to the zoo," Inuyasha sighed. He hated this era sometimes. There was no purpose to denying the pups a chance to be pups by shoving them in the institutes called schools.

"No Inuyasha, she has to go to school," Kagome snapped.

"It's one fucking day, and it's her birthday," he snapped.

"Yes, I know what it is, but if we start letting them out of school for whatever they want Inuyasha they will never go to school, and they need school. If they get used to it when they're little then they can't complain about it when they're older," Kagome countered.

"Oh for fucksake Kagome! She's turning four! She can turn four like a normal pup, and in this era there's nothing going to eat her!" he shouted and stalked off. He was taking his kids and Shippo's to the zoo, tomorrow, whether Kagome liked it or not. He had fucking earned the right to be with his kids after all the hells he'd lived through in the past five hundred years.

"Maru!" Aoi shouted as she trotted out of the apartment and Inuyasha sighed as he trailed after his toddler. She deserved to be a pup while she was a pup.

* * *

Sesshomaru looked up from Rin's letter and carefully tucked it away, only to notice it was afternoon now. he stretched and looked up when Aoi came toddling in and she trotted straight to his tail to fall on it with an oof!

"Aoi," he greeted and she smiled as she sat up.

"Zoo now!" she shouted.

"Talk to your father," he advised.

"Mama say no, Zoo now!" she shouted and tugged on his pant's furiously. Sesshomaru out waited her display of temper and looked blankly down at her.

"Aoi, it is your mother's choice."

"You alpha, you pick! Zoo now!" Aoi protested and Sesshomaru sighed, and in there lay the rub. He was the alpha of all yōkai, he was thought to be the last of his kind; not that the humans knew that now.

"Aoi, I'm not your parent," he growled softly, her ears flattened on her head hearing that.

"That's alright, I am and we're going to the Zoo tomorrow, fuck this era, pups have got to be pups," Inuyasha huffed as he picked up his toddler.

Sesshomaru said nothing, he had had one pup, and even he had vanished. Now he had no one. If he had a family, a pack, he'd probably indulge his pups' whims. Rin would have to be the firm parent because he didn't know how he would ever say no to them. And he did not know how to be a father; his father was a horrible father and he refused to be like that for his pups. He had tried hard with Bakusaiga to be a parent but the phantom pup had been forever curious and Sesshomaru had indulged his every whim for exploration.

"Care to join?" Inuyasha asked drawing him from his musings.

"I will join in the late morning, I have a meeting to attend," Sesshomaru said dryly.

"Kay, I'm getting Shippo in on this, I've had enough of this era."

"Agreed," Sesshomaru dryly remarked and started looking over the reports he'd blown off because he'd re read Rin's letter a thousand times.

She was here.

He'd find her.

* * *

Rin went about packing up supplies for her pups, she would make certain they were prepared, and she had a vat of the antidote to their poison for Sachiko. Just in case! Her pups had inherited Bakusaiga and Sesshomaru's poisonous and venomous natures, which wasn't bad, but since this was just starting to come in and they couldn't control it she had worked out the antidote. It's what she'd used on Sesshomaru when he had accidentally poisoned her a few times.

Shit happened, even as a kid she accepted that truth and prepared accordingly.

Checking over her pups' clothes she mentally ticked off things that were possibly needed and she sighed. This would work.

Sachiko would be in charge and though that wasn't ideal, she was confident that nothing would go wrong.

The moment that thought hit her she winced, mostly because she was thinking about her pups and how much trouble they could get into without meaning too. They were her pups, hers' and Sesshomaru's, for sure, and trouble seemed to just be something they attracted.

Sighing she rubbed her brow and looked up at the ceiling.

"Please don't let something disastrous happen to them," she whispered to whatever deity was listening to her. Rin doubted that they were listening to her but she was hoping that her pups would be safe and good for the duration of this trip.

She very much doubted that it would happen but she could hope. Sighing she just sat there for a moment as she listened to her quiet house and she sighed. Life would be so much better with Sesshomaru, she miss him so terribly.

Slowly she got to her feet and decided to turn in for bed. For her it'd be a quiet few days with Bakusaiga.

For the school it was going to be a busy few days.

* * *

Sesshomaru was stretched out on his bed and he was staring at the letter, she was alive, she was alive, and she was well, and she was awaiting him. After Aoi's birthday he would start looking in the original area he found Rin. He'd honestly never thought she'd return there, mostly because she had hated her village. Hated her people, and they had hated her.

But it appeared that Rin would return to the roots, and for that he was grateful and scared.

He just wanted Rin back.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	326. All A Dream, No: Chapter 16

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Hooky:** _A Word Used Only in the Expression 'To Play Hooky', to be Truant, to Run Away; -Used Mostly of Youths Absent from School Without a Valid Reason and Without Knowledge of Their Parents. Also (Figuratively and jocosely), to be Absent From Duty for Frivolous Reasons…_

* * *

**Chapter 16**

"Come on mama!" her daughter demanded tugging harder on her hand. Rin just sighed, she was still trying to catch her breath from the nerve wracking truck ride she had just endured with Ken'ichi's driving to get her and her twins with his son to school so they'd be on time for the bus for the field trip they were taking into the city to a thing called the zoo.

"Arashi, give me a minute," Rin sighed, her son said nothing as he looked to his younger twin and shrugged. Arashi was scowling though.

"But I wanna go, mama! Hurry up! Ken'ichi isn't that bad of a driver, now let's go!" Arashi started pushing her back. Rin just chuckled as she reluctantly moved forward so her daughter didn't land on her face. Yasei grabbed her hand and yanked her forward sending poor Arashi flying forward and for a moment her raven hair daughter turned into a hanyō.

"Arashi! Ears, silver, tail!" Rin snapped shielding her daughter before anyone else could see her. Her silver haired, dog eared, mokomoko daughter just blinked her gold slit eyes at her then gasped as she screwed up her face and focused. The mokomoko slipped back into the backpack, the ear receded into human ears, silver hair went back to being the color of midnight, and gold eyes diluted into a tawny brown, while the yōkai markings also faded into her daughter's pale skin.

"Sorry mama," Arashi finally said once her moment of concentration was up and Rin sighed as she tucked a midnight strand of hair behind a human ear and tilted her daughter's face back to look at her. Even in their human forms Rin saw so much of Sesshomaru in their pups.

"You're fine baby, but…" Rin lifted her brows for her children to finish the answer.

"Ears, silver, tail," Yasei answered coldly. She frowned at her eldest's callous attitude but he truly was his father's son so what more could she expect? At least he hadn't tried to poison anyone who dared to near him, that was a good sign to her and a sign that perhaps a bit of her resided in her eldest.

"You watch your sister, and you watch your brother," Rin ordered them.

"Yes mom," both grumbled while glaring at one another. Rin stood as she shook her head. Her kid dashed off to the bus then and she leaned against the truck as Ken'ichi continued talking with his son, Katsuo. Katsuo ran after Yasei as Nanami and Arashi met up. Rin just looked up as her widowed friend, Sachiko.

"I never thought the day would come," Sachiko admitted as she joined her and Ken'ichi at the horrid truck.

"What day?" Rin asked in confusion.

"Field trip," Sachiko looked ready to cry and Rin just felt confused.

"I'm sorry, but I do not understand," Rin admitted.

"In this era, a trip with the class, without the parents is very important. Didn't you have anything like that when you were growing up Rin?" Ken'ichi asked her.

"I was an orphan, though I did travel to the land China with my lord's mother, does that count?" Rin asked and Ken'ichi and Sachiko just grinned.

"How'd that go?" Sachiko asked her.

"Not well, I was kidnapped with a friend of mine, I blew up the palace, and my lord was not happy about coming after us to rescue us. Also, my lord's father's family did not like me," Rin answered truthfully. Ken'ichi and Sachiko burst into laughter and Rin just frowned, it wasn't funny. InuTaisho's mother had hated her, and that was saying something because Magatsuhi and Naraku had truly hated her, and even InuTaisho at one point had despised her for simply being human and claimed by his son.

"Rin, you truly have lived an interesting life. Have you ever thought of writing a book, it might make it easier for your lord to find you," Sachiko mused.

"I'll buy that book, if only to infuriate Asami!" Ken'ichi informed her and they all laughed as they waved their kids on the bus off. Rin just felt her heart tighten as she watched the school bus disappear down the road and then she looked back at the only two friends of hers' who knew the truth of who and what she was. They grinned dreamily as they watched the bus leaving.

"No, too much work," Rin informed them as she shoved herself off of the truck to stand up straight.

"Says the farming, healer, single mother of two hanyō twins and a phantom living at Ushinawareta-ka," Ken'ichi mused ruffling her hair.

"Yeah, that's easy, actually sitting down to write is difficult, but perhaps one day," Rin mused as she stood and got back into the horrid death trap of a truck. After eight years of living in this era one would think she'd have gotten used to cars and trucks…no, they still terrified her to her bones.

"Well I have to go! Time to keep up with the kids!" Sachiko said walking to the bus.

"Thanks Sachiko!" she and Ken'ichi shouted as Ken'ichi started the truck. She flinched and shrunk in her seat as he started them towards home.

"They'll have a fun time at the zoo, no doubt your kids will be the only two educated but it's always worth a shot," Ken'ichi mused.

"How are things with you and Asami going?" Rin asked trying to distract herself again.

"You know Asami, all talk no work. It's not that bad, but it's clear she wants me to go back to Tokyo so she can again work for the Narita family. But what the hell am I supposed to do in Tokyo? Be an over glorified nanny for our son?" Kenichi asked her.

"No, but you both need to be happy, not just in love," Rin said softly.

"How'd you and your husband make it work?" Ken'ichi asked.

"We never really had a chance to make it work, I'd give anything to have him here with me now too. But until the fates are ready for us to reunite I'm here and I'm living a content life with our children until then," Rin lied. All she wanted was to live a life with Sesshomaru again.

"You'll get there, after all, you weren't lying and we know you really did mate a daiyōkai; how else would you explain Yasei and Arashi?" he mused.

"Immaculate Conception, because they are a hundred percent their father's children. I don't think I'm even in them," Rin mused. They both laughed as they drove to Ushinawareta-ka chatting about life and the little things in life.

* * *

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	327. All A Dream, No: Chapter 17

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Hooky:** _A Word Used Only in the Expression 'To Play Hooky', to be Truant, to Run Away; -Used Mostly of Youths Absent from School Without a Valid Reason and Without Knowledge of Their Parents. Also (Figuratively and jocosely), to be Absent From Duty for Frivolous Reasons…_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

"Relax Shippo, what they don't know won't kill them!" Inuyasha hissed as his eyes narrowed when his youngest daughter pulled on his ears. His mistake for letting her sit on his shoulders, he supposed that was his own fault. Then again she was turning four, and it was her birthday so she could quite possibly be taking advantage of him and he wouldn't put it past Aoi to be pulling his ears intentionally.

"Yeah, but did you ever think—!" Shippo started. "Isamu! Osamu! Get back over here! Don't wander off in crowds!" Shippo hissed just as a battered old school bus rolled up.

"Sorry Dad," both of Shippo's sons said unapologetically. Inuyasha snickered at that

"Uh-huh, as I was saying Inuyasha; don't you think it's unwise for us two, and your two teens and six children to be here when we can barely manage them at home?" Shippo asked as he caught his two wandering sons while Inuyasha's twins watched over the other three kids who were playing a game of hacky-sac waited in line to buy tickets to get into the zoo.

"Yeah, we'll be fine Shippo, between the two of us everything is covered and today is about fun with Aoi since her mother is a stick in the mud since the turn of the century," Inuyasha grumbled. Honestly, if life got any duller and if he couldn't even take his kids; HIS offspring; out for a day with him then what was the point in living in this peace loving era? He didn't know what he was going to do and he was not going to let his kids' childhoods slip past them because of that horrid thing called school and Kagome believed it to be more important than family time. Time with family was far more important than time with school and friends, and even Rin would've agreed with him on that point if she were here with them.

"True, but if we lose any of them I blame you," Shippo snarled.

"Alright, Sōten can blast me to the moon; I would just like for once for me to have a day with my kids and a good friend. And Sesshomaru would be right here with us if he had kids and you know it," Inuyasha snapped seriously as his youngest tugged his head again.

"Papa! Papa! I smell Maru!" Aoi declared and both Inuyasha and Shippo swung their heads in the direction Aoi was pointing. Inuyasha frowned when all he saw was a bunch of human kids coming off of a school bus.

"Sesshomaru ain't here, yet, kid, oh look the ticket booth is open, let's go kids!" Inuyasha barked, all the kids ran after him. Still he couldn't shake the feeling that Sesshomaru's scent was here; very faintly and almost translucently but it was here subtly all the same. It a curious matter to him as he bought the tickets and counted his kids, eldest to youngest: Haruto, Hoshi, Shou, Amaterasu, and Aoi. Then there was Shippo's kids to count, youngest to eldest this time: Osamu, Isamu, and Kichirō. Good, they had all the kids.

That scent caught his attention again as he turned his head to look around his four year old at the seven year old school group who weren't wearing uniforms. He hadn't smelt a translucent scent like that since Rin, but that had been five hundred years ago. Turning back to the present he jogged after his kids while they played hooky for a day.

* * *

Sesshomaru was late, he was not pleased because of it, Aoi the most of his spoiled lot of nieces and nephews, and felt that she was the only one with any real potential, which was why he didn't like disappointed that niece, the rest of them were too much their mother's children to have any importance to him.

Which was why he had cut his meeting short, and was now walking up to the zoo gate as he looked over the sea of pups and children all blissfully unaware of their inner mixings. A scent had his nose twitching as he paused and looked over the sea of kids, his eyes sharpened as something called to him.

"Yo, Sesshomaru! We got your ticket! Hurry up!" Inuyasha's shout pulled his attention as his head snapped from the group of kids to his brother and niece.

"Told ya papa, nose never wrong!" Aoi giggled.

"Aoi," he nodded.

"Maru!" she exclaimed.

"Arashi! Yasei! Nanami! Get back over here!" Sesshomaru's head again turned as he saw three kids coming his direction, the first, a girl slammed into his leg and stumbled.

"I am so sorry!" the woman panted. His nose twitched at the scent, it was familiar. "What did your mother tell you!? I am so sorry, these two are always running, never walking, I apologize again."

The woman bowed as she grabbed the kids; the girl who had run into him and a boy who looked familiar.

"Sorry!" the girl squeaked as she was dragged the kids away. He didn't want them to go, a part of him screamed that they weren't hers' however he immediately quashed that. He could not go about taking every kid who looked like Rin, it would not only give him a heart ache but a lot of trouble.

Still, there was that pull he felt to the pups.

"You are to behave," he heard the woman his.

"And not follow our noses," both kids replied in unison.

"How your mother has survived raising you two I don't know," the woman sighed.

"Patience," the boy replied.

"Temper," the girl replied and Sesshomaru smirked at their answers, so they were hanyō, they didn't smell it. They didn't smell yōkai or human either. Still he found it interesting.

"Tigers Maru! Tigers!" Aoi demanded as she clawed her way off her father and perched herself on his shoulders.

"Hn," he acknowledged.

"Was Rin this much trouble as a pup or are you just good with Pups?" Inuyasha griped.

"Both," was his answer as he listened to Aoi absently, he couldn't get the face of the boy or the girl out of his mind though.

Kami they had looked like Rin with those eyes…

* * *

**Of Course I'm A Tease... That's The Fun Of Writing! ;)**

**That's all for now folks!**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same! =)**


	328. All A Dream, No: Chapter 18

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Hooky:** _A Word Used Only in the Expression 'To Play Hooky', to be Truant, to Run Away; -Used Mostly of Youths Absent from School Without a Valid Reason and Without Knowledge of Their Parents. Also (Figuratively and jocosely), to be Absent From Duty for Frivolous Reasons…_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Arashi tried not to get distracted by her nose, she really did, however, as she looked over her shoulder at that man she'd run into, she couldn't help but think he smelt familiar. Not like Bakusaiga or mam, but familiar.

"Yasei?" she whispered.

"Yeah," her brother nodded which had them both looking over at the man as he looked at them. He was scary, radiating killer, leader, and dangerous, but safe also. She didn't understand it, she really did not get the pull she felt to the man but when her brother's hand slipped into hers she looked away.

"He's not familiar," Yasei whispered to her.

"I know, but…" Arashi sighed.

"I know," her brother assured her as they slipped into their pack. It was best to avoid yōkai, Arashi knew that, she also knew that man was no normal man. He was no normal yōkai either. There was something too powerful about him to resist, and Arashi wasn't sure she wanted to resist. It was like when mama gave her an order, or Bakusaiga chided her, it was pack, it was family, and that man was pack.

Shaking her head, she followed her class as she skipped up to Nanami.

* * *

She was going to be a good girl for mama!

Yasei felt the same pull his sister had to the man, and even now he kept an ear tuned to the man and his nose focused on that familiar scent.

Scents in his pack were hard.

Mama's scent was like the rain and the forest and interchangeable.

Bakusaiga smelt like danger but also like lightning in a storm and just as invisible as mama.

Arashi smelled like spring, but also invisible like mama.

And he too did not have a distinctive scent like mama.

This was both a blessing and a curse in his pack, it was a blessing for it concealed them and it was a curse because they lost each other, frequently. And he was born with the keenest of noses, but tracking his mama, sister or brother was… near impossible, by scent. Arashi couldn't cover her tracks to save her life though so if you followed her you found everyone else.

Still, Yasei didn't feel like they should be leaving just yet, they should not leave that man behind. He was important, and the pull Yasei felt for him was immense. It was like he belonged to the man, like the man was his alpha, which was ridiculous. He was Sesshomaru's son, he had no alpha other than his mama and should he ever meet his papa, his papa would be his alpha.

But still…

There was that pull, which had Yasei looked as the man walked away with a pup on his shoulders.

* * *

Rin's head fell back as she let out a slow breath and watched as Bakusaiga chased the birds through the trees. She hoped everything was going alright for Arashi and Yasei, they could be a handful at the best of times. But that wasn't Rin's worry, her worry was other yōkai scenting her pups and snatching them. Rin was here, her pups were there, and there was no protection for them there. It was troubling for her. she wanted to be there for them, she did, but right now it was time for them to grow and start being independent of her.

_Arashi and Yasei will be fine, mama,_ Bakusaiga chirped.

"Are you certain of this?" Rin asked.

_No, but they're my brother and sister, and they aren't idiots like Kagome_, her pup answered.

"Oh Kami you sound like your father," she chuckled and her son preened a bit as he floated beside her.

_Do you ever regret having us?_ Bakusaiga whispered.

"Never," she smiled. "You make me laugh, you remind me of some of the best days of my life which could not be captured, and more than that, I'm proud of all of you. I miss your father, but I could never regret getting here because I have you, and Arashi and Yasei."

_Father will find us, _Bakusaiga said determinedly.

"I know, we just have to be patient," Rin agreed.

_Waiting sucks._

"It does," she agreed with her pup.

* * *

Sesshomaru reminded himself he could not stalk a group of innocent children, though everything in him screamed to do just that. But he couldn't, he couldn't because of this era's stupid laws, also he really did not need to be labeled a pedophile.

Kagome had called him a pedophile and when he'd finally found out what it meant he'd have ripped her guts out and turned her into liquid green goo if it hadn't been for the fact he saw her point of view. No doubt he'd have appeared to be a pedophile for having marked Rin as a pup, however he was never sexually attracted to children!

But he wasn't explaining this to the cops either so he merely kept an ear tuned to the group, but was too far and heard too much to hear what the pups had whispered.

Damn it! He felt like they were his! But they had smelled human, looked human, and were in a group of completely human children. At least they smelled it. However, there was that tug, the demand to go after them and protect them.

Shaking his head he frowned.

He'd follow the school around for the next few days and see where those pups would take him. If he didn't see Rin then he would not bother with the pups. They wouldn't be his, however, if they were…

Sesshomaru refused to even entertain the thought right now.

He didn't want to have his hopes shattered again, because he couldn't take much more heartbreak after five hundred continuous years without even seeing Rin.

* * *

**First, I had to put down the world's best dog, my Fluffinator, five days ago and I'm dying inside, I need something fun to write so I'm posting this.**

**Second, the updates here might not be quick but I'm going to try for weekly. Please be patient with me, I'm hurting but I'm trying.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same.**


	329. All A Dream, No: Chapter 19

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Hooky:** _A Word Used Only in the Expression 'To Play Hooky', to be Truant, to Run Away; -Used Mostly of Youths Absent from School Without a Valid Reason and Without Knowledge of Their Parents. Also (Figuratively and jocosely), to be Absent From Duty for Frivolous Reasons…_

* * *

**Chapter 19**

Rin was sitting in the evening air as she breathed it in and closed her eyes, the birds sang around her. There was an essence of serenity around her which had her just savoring the quiet night. Then her ears twitched, Bakusaiga was exploring the forest again, and the gravel was crunching. Rin stood slowly as she picked up the knife she had, flicking the blade out as she looked at her driveway. The car that pulled up was white, small, clean, and new.

It stopped and Rin tensed, not recognizing the car as the door opened.

"Gracious Mikadzuki-sama, could you live any further out in the middle of nowhere?" he huffed as he walked out of the car and pulled off the shades. Rin's eyes widened.

"Masaru?" she blinked.

"Well who else do you think would loyally serve you for a thousand years?" he groaned as he stretched.

"You serve me?" she blinked.

"Is it really a shock, Mikadzuki-sama?" he smiled as he walked up to her and then she received a formal bow. "It has been a long time, my lady, a mere decade for you, but a hundred lifetimes for myself and my lord."

"Your lord?" she blinked.

"Oh yes, I am Takahashi Masaru," he smiled as he stood there. "A loyal follower of the Inuyōkai Clan, and an ever faithful servant to Mikadzuki-sama, her mate, and her pups."

"Masaru, when are you from?" she asked.

"I'm to be born in approximately three years, seven months, five days, I am the youngest son of the Kasai family. I was born gifted with an unusual ability to travel back in time, not forward though, unless you count going forward naturally a way to travel through time," he smiled.

"You say that name as if I'm supposed to understand what you're saying," she said.

"Oh, but you will, Mikadzuki-sama, in about four days you will understand everything I'm about to tell you. now, I have arrived on this vary date, to inform you of all that you don't know, and all that is coming so as not to shock you," he smiled.

"And what will happen to you.

"I will disappear for another twenty-six years, as ordered to do, and show up on the 20th of April again to speak to my family about my services to the House of Narita, and all I have done for my brethren from the tales of Mikadzuki-sama to the great trials I fought on my own," he smiled.

"You're not making any sense Masaru," she sighed.

"Not yet, now, it's been about a thousand years, of serving you, Mikadzuki-sama, so might I request some inari sushi, I was informed that I would be indulged upon this night, and I've been awaiting this night for so long," the fox said.

"Um… yes, come in," she sighed in defeat as she walked into her home and he gingerly removed his shoes as he took a seat, it was when she turned around to see his silver tails swishing that he smiled broadly.

"I love your home, Mikadzuki-sama, it is so orderly," he mused. "It has been a long time since I last saw it but it is interesting to see that it is exactly as I remembered."

Rin frowned.

Confusing fucking fox! Did he ever say anything that wasn't a riddle? Pulling out tea she prepared him a cup and set it before him as she prepared the sushi for him. sushi Ken'ichi had dropped off because she needed a change of diet.

"Alright, fox, what is this about?"

"Well, you see, Mikadzuki that is a long story," he said.

"I believe there's a point where you start from the beginning," she muttered softly as she placed a plate before him.

"Well to start from the beginning we must go to the future, my birth name is Kasai Raitoningu, you may call me Masaru though, I will not say who my birth parents are only that I am born to very dear friends of yours and I needed help. You and Sesshomaru-sama raised me as your own, and you found a way I could be rid of my mysterious time curse, and I would follow you to the ends of the earth Mikazuki-sama," he smiled.

* * *

Sesshomaru looked at the school bus he was trailing after and internally kicked himself. He couldn't help it! He literally could not stop himself from following this bus. It felt as if there was a pull to it, like he had to be there to protect it. The bus pulled into a nice-ish, but lower class hotel and he parked on the street as he watched twenty or so children file out. the little girl who had run into him at the zoo had his attention as she walked with the boy who stood protective guard by her.

He felt a swell of pride at the boys actions, for it was a brother's duty to look after their little sister.

He shook his head, he did not know if those pups were siblings or not, he didn't know why he had thought that at all. Just that he did. they appeared to be siblings. Which had him smirking a bit.

The children all filed into the hotel, the four chaperons followed after and he quickly jotted down the name of the school he saw on one of the jackets worn by someone who was clearly staff. He wondered again why he was stalking these pups, they were not his. And yet he couldn't help himself as he looked at the name of the school and then the hotel. He should leave before he was arrested for loitering, or stalking.

But he was too curious about the pups as he pulled out his phone and looked up the school.

* * *

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same.**


	330. All A Dream, No: Chapter 20

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Hooky:** _A Word Used Only in the Expression 'To Play Hooky', to be Truant, to Run Away; -Used Mostly of Youths Absent from School Without a Valid Reason and Without Knowledge of Their Parents. Also (Figuratively and jocosely), to be Absent From Duty for Frivolous Reasons…_

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Arashi's ears were perked as she sat in the hotel room and looked around, her eyes taking in everything. Today had been so exciting! She couldn't possibly settle for bed! And she knew it as she grinned a little and stood to hop on the bed. The springs of the foreign bed screeched and she giggled as she bounced, her silver, ears, and markings all showing as she giggled.

"Arashi! It is time for bed, not bouncing!" Sachiko sighed appearing from the bathroom as Nanami looked up from her homework and Yasei gave her a blank look before he looked back at his homework.

"But I can't sleep! I had too much fun today!" she giggled as she spun in the air. "Mama would love the zoo!" she observed.

"Yes, well, your mama doesn't like leaving her farm," Sachiko stated.

"True, mama doesn't like cars, but she went on a weekend trip with you!" Arashi mused as she bounced. She hated sitting still, especially when she was excited. Like now!

"Yes, with much alcohol and bribery involved," her aunt laughed which had Arashi snickering as she landed neatly on her butt with her legs folded.

"What was your favorite animal!?" she demanded her friend and brother.

"The komono dragon," Yasei blurted out.

"Why?" she tilted her head to the side in curiosity.

"Because he was big, hungry, king of beasts, and he's venomous and poisonous, how many animals are like that?" Yasei smirked and Arashi giggled getting the reference.

"I liked the giaraffes! I'm so short I want to be tall like them! See everything! Forever and ever and ever of seeing!" Nanami giggled.

"I liked the tigers! They had pretty eyes! And we get to go again tomorrow!" Arashi exclaimed as she bounced up! She loved the zoo, she loved it, adored it, she never wanted to leave it! She was so excited about this school trip and she couldn't wait to go again! also, she kind of wanted to see the tall man again. the one she'd run into. However, she mostly wanted to see the tigers again; she wondered if she could go pet them.

"Alright, young lady, time for bed, I'll braid your hair, and tuck your ears in, what would your mother say?" her aunt sighed.

"Don't get caught, but if caught be clever and cunning and escape," she stated firmly.

"Rin would say that," Sachiko replied flatly. Yasei snorted, Nanami giggled and Arashi smiled sweetly. She was her mother's daughter after all and being devious was second nature. She didn't know why everyone was so shocked about that.

"Settle and I'll braid your hair for bed," Sachiko repeated.

"Okay!" Arashi laughed as she landed again and sat there patiently.

* * *

Sesshomaru returned to his penthouse with great reluctance. He didn't want to be here, he would rather be camped out in front of that hotel however he couldn't help but feel like that would get him in jail. And though he could break himself out he'd really rather not be labeled a pedophile after all the fights he and Kagome had had on the matter once he knew what that term meant. It wasn't like he was attracted to a child, the mere thought was repulsive. He'd sooner die than touch a child in that manner.

There was a tug on his pant leg which had him looking down at his niece.

"Aoi," he acknowledged.

"Up!" she ordered and he reached down for her and looked at her as soon as she was in his arms, a familiar weight.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Mama mad, Daddy sitting, lots," Aoi sighed.

"All for a day at the zoo?" he clarified.

"Yup," the girl nodded.

"We will have dinner then, and you may stay here for the night," Sesshomaru decided. Yes, he had a favorite niece. It wasn't likely to ever change Aoi was just too easy for him to like. She was a true inuyōkai, and none of her mother's influence had corrupted her. which was a refreshing change after Kagome's loud voice corrupting so much in her other children.

"Pancakes for dinner!" Aoi declared happily.

"Hn," he grunted as he set her on the counter.

The image of the little girl from the zoo flashed in his mind's eye and he paused as he thought that over. The child had looked familiar, and there was a dormant, dangerous part of him which want him to tear after the children and protect her and the boy. Glancing over at Aoi he paused at her serious look.

"Aoi?"

"I smell you today," she said.

"I was there," he reminded her.

"No, before, nose never lie," Aoi huffed and he paused.

"Aoi…" he sighed.

"You going on a trip?" she stated.

"Yes."

"Don't go!"

"Aoi!" he growled the warning and the little pup hunched over but pouted all the same as he prepared them dinner. Once he had her settled he sat at the table and quietly ate with her. Her statement wasn't unsettling but there was an ancient voice in him whispering that it was important, and that he follow those pups. Sesshomaru didn't like how far his instincts were driving him right now, but after five hundred years of dormancy he had to follow them.

There was something important about those kids and he was going to find out one way or another. Mostly because he couldn't stand not knowing any more. He had to know why after all these centuries everything in him was unfurling and coming to life again. Perhaps Aoi was right, and those children were inuyōkai pups, but he didn't think so, he had a feeling it was more than that.

Whatever it was, he was following it.

* * *

**MOVING SUCKS! I'm moving again, I feel like I'm hitting my head on a stone wall with moving, again, but c'est la vie. I'm not feeling better, but thank you everyone for your kindness and support.**

**Oh, and the week after Mother's Day this will be my sole focus for the week so I can close it out before the move is in full swing and I get distracted. No, I don't want it to end either, but I think we can all agree we need the end! =| 'Tis a dilemma...**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same.**


	331. Please Have Patience With Me

**Dear Reader,**

Yeah, this is a hold notice. I don't want to do this, but I need to because I'm not in a good place at the moment. Now yes, if you follow me you'll see I will still be updating, but let me explain this really quickly.

Never Be the Same is my Fanfiction baby, a story I put as much value on as one of my personal pieces. This is one of my favorite stories to write; and yes, I've been stalling on writing the end because this has been two years of my life. Through the good, the bad, and some of the ugly I've had this story to focus on and write. Well, now, the ugly has gone to hell and I'd rather not ruin the end of the story because I'm in a bad place.

This past April, I put down my golden, the Fluffinator, the cancer took a turn for the worst and I had to make the worst call of my life. Putting him down killed me, because that there was the world's best dog, a true hero and friend and he deserved so much better than the wretched end cancer gave him.

Well, yesterday I had to make another call to put down my other golden, Shaggy, who took a turn for the worst. That hurt like hell, and I really didn't want to make that call, again. He too deserved better than the end he got, but there's a point where quality of life comes into factoring and I had to make that call.

Also, I'm moving, again. It's not been an easy move, as I'm essentially doing it by myself, and I don't have much help. However, I'm working the problem, and I'm making this work as best as I can so I can get all the stuff from point A to B, and get my three mastiffs to our new home.

Now, if you follow me, you know I'm updating. Yes, I'm not giving up my writing, however, I'm going to just focus on a few pieces.

-Hopes for a Bastard Series; mostly because this is fun, and doesn't have the emotional strain on me that some of my other pieces do, and I've found it to be a nice distraction from my hell.

-Calm in the Storm; it's sort of my new daily piece, I have 365 prompts, and I'm going to see how I can do that as a challenge to myself by centering it around one drabble I wrote.

-Until the Day I... Stories; yeah, all five will be getting regular updates after I figure out my time skips there, and that's the hold up there as of late.

Then there's the Tumblr short multi-chapter pieces I'm doing:

-A Weekend We'll Never Remember

-I'm Hiding Your Brother Under My Bed

-Innocent Little Demon

Yes, I do take requests on Tumblr, don't be shy, you know what pairings I write for so feel free to ask.

As to the rest of my other stories, and Never Be the Same, once I'm in my new home I'm going to just settle and focus on a piece a week and knock them out for closings. Starting with:

-Never Be the Same

-I'm Pain, She's Healing

-Lost in the Sound

-Still Hate You

-Wrong Number, But Don't Hang Up!

I'll be adopting Oceans Away as a weekly piece after I close out those and will work on closing it out slowly.

I will be posting a seasonal Tumblr dump here and on Ao3, so seriously, don't be shy if you have a request just ask me on tumblr, if I can't do it I will tell you, but I'll try my best.

Until I close out all the above pieces, and have closed out the Until the Day I... Stories, I will not be opening any new stories. After that, I don't know what I'll be up to writing, but I'm not giving up the writing. I have a few things in the works on my personal end, and I might be testing something else out, but we'll see.

I'm sorry to place this story on hold, but just don't want to ruin it. If you have questions feel free to PM me, or reach out on Tumblr.

For now, I'm just going to breath, distract myself, and focus on my move. Is this the healthiest way to grieve, probably not, but it's working so far so I'll stick to it.

Please have patience with me, I'm coming back to this, just not yet.

**-Blu**


	332. All A Dream, No: Chapter 21

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Magnetic:** _Endowed with Extraordinary Personal Power to Excite the Feelings to Win the Affections, Attractive, Inducing Attachment…_

* * *

**Chapter 21**

Rin supposed that it was normal, to feel the pull in her heart now that her children were out of her sight. It was not like Arashi and Yasei were like their brother Bakusaiga. Bakusaiga was always on her hip when she was working, or hiking and Rin liked it that way, because it meant her pup was safe. However, at this moment her two pups were out there in this large terrifying world right now with no protection. Rin was trying really hard to stay calm about this.

It was like a magnetic pull to her senses that evening as she sat on her porch staring in the direction of the city.

"You do know you're supposed to be relaxing with them gone," a voice had her looking up as Ken'ich appeared holding the tea.

"I'm relaxed," she smiled.

"Rin, you never relax," Ken'ichi grinned as he sat with her as she accepted the offered tea. Rin sipped it quietly.

"I do too relax," she sighed.

"No you don't, you're like an ever alert guard dog. I don't think I could sneak up on you even if you were asleep," Ken'ichi chuckled.

"I relax," she nudged him softly as she stared out at the city.

"They're safe, Sachiko will never let anything happen to them. Granted she's no you, but there's a law of nature which transcends the laws of all man," Ken'ichi informed her solemnly.

"And what is this law?" she mused as she sipped her own tea.

"Never fuck with mama bears," he said solemnly.

She laughed then. "Oh, she is a mama bear," Rin laughed. "So, tell me how things are going with Asami."

"You just had to go there," Ken'ichi grimaced.

"Yes, now speak, or I use ancient Sesshomaru-sama approved torture techniques," she smiled sweetly as she batted her eyes. Ken'ichi paled.

"I'm actually terrified right now," he said.

"Good, now talk," she coldly demanded as she sipped her tea.

"Where do I start?"

"The beginning is a nice place."

"Kay, she wants to move to Tokyo again," he sighed. "She wants to keep working with the Narita family. Says she really liked them, and her boss. But… I can't. There's the farm, my family, my life here, and she just expects me to drop it and run after her to Tokyo, and Katsuo doesn't even want to go. I think Nanami, Arashi, and Yasei are his first friends, ever. And Asami does not see that."

"I'm sorry," Rin sighed.

"Not your fault. I love that fucking woman, but she's the most self-centered person I know." Ken'ichi shook his head and Rin nodded as they both sat there in silence watching the forest.

"Wonder if Sachiko has kept your kids from going silver," Ken'ich mused.

Rin paled. He snickered.

"That's not funny! Not now! I'm terrified they'll be taken to that horrible healer for the experiments!" Rin snapped.

Ken'ichi howled with laugher. "Comando, pissed, rampaging Mama Rin! The world shall cower in fear!"

"If they take my pups they will," Rin growled.

"They'll be fine Rin, Sachiko can handle them," Ken'ich chuckled.

"I hate you sometimes," she sighed.

* * *

Sesshomaru was up by dawn, he was perched over the hotel with a perfect view of it. He could not make himself leave, and he did not know why. His mokomoko was even out and twitching as he stared down at the hotel the children were in.

All night he'd been trying to think of reasons he was insane and needed to stay away but he could not. Sesshomaru could no more force himself away from them than he could stop this insane need to watch out for them. He wishe this insanity would leave him. But it wouldn't.

So here he was, sitting, and staring down at the building with the Tenseiga on his hip, and his claws itching for a fight for if anyone went near those children. He was trying to stem the ferociousness of these emotions, but he could not. It was like the first time he'd encountered Rin, or her dead body to be exact. However, there was also a feral edge to his emotions demanding he look after the children, and he couldn't fight that. Not when it was so demanding and he was compelled to follow through.

There was a rattling of engines, and the kids appeared, filing in order. His eyes immediately zeroed in on the two children, he relaxed seeing the boy and the girl, they appeared to be arguing.

He softened a bit, as his heart ached. He watched the buss, before standing and swiftly following as he again disguised his daiyōkai appearance. He landed on a rooftop across from the zoo.

* * *

Inuyasha woke to a poking in his ribs then.

"Nnngh?" he jolted up then found himself looking at his youngest's bright blue eyes.

"Papa!?" she whispered.

"What is it Aoi?" Inuyasha rubbed his face as he sat up for his daughter.

"Zoo." She whispered and he snatched her up as he walked out before she woke Kagome.

"No, no zoo, and mama doesn't know about that, it's our little secret," Inuyasha smiled at his daughter.

"But, Maru, zoo," she whined, her silver ears twitching as her large blue eyes filled with tears.

"No." He said firmly. "School today, and Sesshomaru will be around this evening, he won't stay away from you too long," he pointed out.

This seemed to annoy Aoi as she stomped off, and Inuyasha looked up at the ceiling. How had his youngest daughter become the most like Sesshomaru? He seriously wondered about her parentage at times. However, he could smell Aoi was his, even if she had adopted Sesshomaru over him.

Sighing Inuyasha started making breakfast for his family as Kagome slept. Soon the house was up and they were everywhere as a new day of chaos started. He had everyone out the door though as he scooped up Aoi to take her to daycare.

* * *

**Hey, yeah, I'm not dead. Yay! But, it's been a really long, bad few months so I won't rant, but know I'm really back this time. Really back, for sure, a few updates a week, possibily even get it back to daily. Thanks for sticking with me this long, and thank you for your patience with me.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same.**


	333. All A Dream, No: Chapter 22

**All A Dream, No...**

* * *

**I Do Not Own Inuyasha**

* * *

**Magnetic:** _Endowed with Extraordinary Personal Power to Excite the Feelings to Win the Affections, Attractive, Inducing Attachment…_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Sesshomaru felt like a creep, but he couldn't seem to bring himself to leave even as he discreetly trailed after the group in the zoo but it could not be helped.

The best description of it was like he was bound to the kids; one of them in particular had his attention, the girl. She had the same enthusiasm as Rin, which created an ache in his heart but amusement at the memories and some of Rin's antics. Sesshomaru softened at the child's smiles with her friends and the way her eyes were bright with enthusiasm, she was a lot like Rin. Her dark hair, dark eyes, and pale skin all made him think of his human companion, centuries ago.

The boy the girl was always with actually reminded Sesshomaru of himself. The child was sharp, it was something the way the boy's eyes scanned the crowd, the way he carried himself. The boy was on alert for threats, Sesshomaru almost found that amusing if he was also not on alert.

For most of the day Sesshomaru trailed after the group, and stopped in a food court where he ran into the woman he assumed to be the mother of the children.

"Arashi, Yasei, what do you want?" the frazzled mom asked. Sesshomaru didn't hear the answers as his head snapped around at the scream, only to see one of the human children had feel, scraping it's knee. There was a bump and he turned to catch the human woman before she toppled over.

"I'm sorry!" the mom gasped as she caught his arm trying to find his balance.

"Hn," he nodded.

"Are you alright mom!?" a new child, the other girl who wondered with the girl who looked like Rin demanded.

"I'm fine Nanami, I just wasn't paying attention," the mom answered as she straightened. "Thank you again," the mom bowed.

Sesshomaru nodded when suddenly the girl who looked like Rin appeared and stared up at him with large eyes, there were flakes of amber in those dark eyes and he thought it odd.

"Why are you here? Do you have a kid? Are you on a date!? We're here for a field trip!" the girl started.

"Arashi!"

"I'm just asking!" the girl, Arashi, defended. The name seemed fitting of the child he mused as he stared at the little girl.

"I'm so sorry!" the mom gasped.

"It is fine," he answered. "I'm here to see if my niece would like the zoo. No. No. Interesting trip?"

"She'll like it! The zoo is so cool! All the smells and sounds and the animals! Why not? That's a shame. And yes! The city is huge!" Arashi giggled. Sesshomaru softened; Kami he almost felt like laughing.

"She will. That is not of your concern. Perhaps. Is Tokyo really so very different from your home?" he asked.

"Take her. Just curious anyway. You should! Yes, Mama's scared of the city so we've never been, but it's so big and noisy I see why it scares mama!" Arashi said.

"Arashi, he doesn't want to hear about us, and come on, Sachiko's got food!" the boy said.

"But!"

"Now, mama doesn't want us talking to strangers!" the girl's brother said.

"But he's nice!" the girl protested.

"You should always listen to your mother, mothers are wise creatures," Sesshomaru interrupted which had both children looking up at him with those dark eyes. Both had the flakes of gold in them.

"See, so come on!"

"You're boring Yasei," Arashi sighed.

"Boring keeps us alive, come on!" the boy dragged his sister off and Sesshomaru shook his head in amusement as he walked in the line and ordered his food. He ate in peace, keeping his ears tuned to Arashi and Yasei, both were having an animated debate about the American comics versus mangas. It was kind of cute, even as he stood to leave. The group finished their tour and was loaded onto the public buses, which had Sesshomaru sighing as he reluctantly watched them go. A part of him screamed they should leave him, however he was not listening to that part of himself.

At least he wasn't until he was in his car and following the bus to make certain it arrived to it's destination safely.

He twitched in annoyance with himself, but he was certain he only wanted to make certain that those two were safe.

* * *

Rin was looking over her book selection, Bakusaiga was with Ken'ichi playing Mario cart or something, both of them yelling in her living room and she was aiming for peace.

Standing she pulled a book of interest to her as she went to her kitchen to make tea before she'd go sit outside in the rainy weather. The rain had been a shock, but it was a nice change for her, Rin liked the rain, made her feel as if the world was coming to life again.

There was a ring on her accursed phone which had her picking up the line because she was right by it.

"Mikadzuki," she answered.

"Hello Rin, is Ken'ichi up there?" Asami's voice filled her ear.

"No," Rin lied. Ken'ichi had appeared this morning in a fury because of Asami so Rin did not think he wished to speak with her. "Can I take a message to pass to him if I see him?"

"Yeah, I've been called into Tokyo, Mrs. Narita needs me so I'm going to be gone for an undetermined amount of time, can you tell him that?"

"Yes," Rin answered hesitantly.

"Thanks, goodbye," Asami hung up then and Rin walked into the living room.

Who was that? Bakusaiga asked.

"Bakusaiga, I need a minute with Ken'ichi, alone," Rin said. Her pup vanished then, the controller clattered on the ground and Ken'ichi looked at her.

"Let me guess, Asami's leaving for Mrs. Narita?" Ken'ichi said bitterly.

"Yes," Rin answered.

"Oh, and she didn't twll you the best part, she's leaving Katsou here. I warned her though, she leaves and I'd file for sole custody," he sighed.

"What?"

"I'm done Rin, and can I borrow your phone, I need to call a lawyer," Ken'ichi stood.

Rin just nodded dumbly as he walked into her kitchen for the phone.

* * *

**So... Good news, I got a job, Yay!**

**Bad news, I got the worst shift in the world.**

**Oh well.**

**That's all for now folks.**

**Enjoy Never Be the Same.**


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